Come Back
by Random Otaku Boy
Summary: Where is Faye? She's been gone a lot lately. Drugs? A boyfriend? .....syndicate? Whatever it is, will Spike be able to help her??
1. Vichyssoise

"Jet, it doesn't look right."  
  
"Gaah! What the hell is that?"  
  
"I followed all your directions, right down to the last grain of salt, but the moment you left everything started boiling over and the potatoes and scallions wouldn't fall apart and-!"  
  
"Gabby calm down! It's only your......eleventh time at trying this! It takes time!"  
  
"Jet, for God's sake, it's only cream of potato soup!"  
  
Gabby looked at Jet who was trying not to laugh.  
  
"It's not funny! That's it, I give up. Goodbye. You can make dinner tonight."  
  
Jet, still smiling, reached out and tugged on her apron strings to stop her.  
  
"Wait, Gabby. Here, we'll try it one more time, and this time I won't leave."  
  
She smiled, sidling up to the large man who had turned his attention to disposing of Gabby's latest attempt at the seeming simple soup. They had started at seven o' clock this morning and still hadn't gotten a recognizable product. Gabby had kept her promise to herself to learn how to cook vichyssoise, but wasn't doing very well, due to the fact that every time Jet left the room something went wrong, but he was being very supportive anyway.  
  
She came up behind Jet and wrapped her arms around his muscular waist.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
Jet turned around to face Gabby and leaned down to kiss her forehead.  
  
"Promise."  
  
Suddenly, a head popped into the doorway.  
  
"Oh, am I interrupting?"  
  
Gabby let go of Jet and turned to Spike.  
  
"Not at all, what's your pleasure?"  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow at the expression but continued on with no less zeal.  
  
"When the hell is dinner? It's six o' clock for crist's sake!"  
  
Gabby looked at a clock.  
  
"Oh, gee it is isn't it? I'll make something. Jet, let's continue tomorrow, I'm sure everyone's hungry."  
  
Jet shrugged his shoulders, seemingly indifferent to the proposal, but was actually slightly disappointed. He had enjoyed spending so much time with Gabby. Vichyssoise took at least two hours to cook, and although Gabby had never gotten past the hour mark on any attempt, it gave them a lot of time to talk.  
  
He left with Spike leaving Gabby in the kitchen by herself.  
  
She decided on a simple chicken divan. It was quick and easy, so she was looking forward to giving her cooking self-esteem a boost.  
  
As she put it in the oven for its last session of cooking, she sat down on one of the chairs Jet had brought into the kitchen earlier. She sighed to herself. Life was good. After the whole kidnapping incident, and Jet's sweet confession, they had been getting steadily closer. Whenever he wasn't on a bounty, he spent all his free time with her. They even went grocery shopping together. She sighed again as she heard the timer ding.  
  
As she set the dishes down on the table and sat between Spike and Jet on the couch. Ed was on the floor and shoveling food into her mouth like there was no tomorrow. Gabby noticed Faye wasn't there.  
  
"Where's Faye?"  
  
  
A/N:Hiya!! Back again!! And BOY! Can you say sugar high?? Wow. I'm never listening to Emily again. ("Vanilla COke doesn't have THAT much caffine...really!) Jesus, now I'm addicted to the stuff. Anywho, this is my second story!! (For all of you who havn't read my first one, it's called "Sunshine" and to get this story you might want to read it.) AHH! I'm so happy to be writing again (okay, so I finished the last one a couple of days ago, but still!!) R&R!! PLEASE!! Big smooches! ^.^ 


	2. Peachy

Jet didn't even bother to look up as he replied.  
  
"Out.....again."  
  
Spike didn't say a word. He just looked down into his chicken like it held the secret of the universe. Although he was trying furiously not to show it, Jet and Gabby could tell he was worried about Faye.  
  
Hmm, Gabby thought. Faye's been gone a lot lately....I wonder what she's been doing? Ever since she had come home, Faye had been out, only coming home late at night once. She looked at Spike when she heard him slam his fork into his dinner, snapping out of his daze. She could understand Spike's feelings- she was worried about Faye too.   
  
After dinner was done and the dishes were washed Gabby and Jet were talking in the living area. Spike was sitting opposite them watching the television silently.  
  
Suddenly, Spike stood up, banging the television off as he did so.  
  
Jet looked at him with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Something wrong there Spike?"  
  
"No nothing. Everything's just FINE. Peachy!"  
  
Jet and Gabby were now both concernedly eyeing at him.  
  
"Spike....?"  
  
Spike sighed, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Sorry. I'm just tired. See you in the morning"  
  
He walked up the stairs to the control section of the Bebop.  
  
Gabby turned to Jet.  
  
"I don't think he's going to be very comfortable up there."  
  
Jet shook his head.  
  
"Poor Spike. I think he's worried about Faye."  
  
"Yes, but he shouldn't. Faye's a big girl, she can watch out for herself."  
  
Ed jumped on the couch, landing between Jet and Gabby.  
  
"Ed's a big girl too! A big fat master hacker from Eeeeaaaarrrrrttthhh....."  
  
Gabby giggled and smiled, patting Edward on the head.  
  
"Aren't you tired Ed? You were up before me and you've been on that computer all day!"  
  
Edward shook her head and grinned at Gabby.  
  
"Nope! Ed is never-ever tired! Edward wants to stay up with Jetto and Gabby-Wabby!"  
  
Jet slightly frowned as he looked at Ed.  
  
"Ed you really should be getting to bed now, it's kinda late...."  
  
Gabby hugged Edward, smiling over her head at Jet as she did so.  
  
"Of course you can stay up Ed! As long as you like."  
  
She winked at Jet, who understood her meaning. Ed wouldn't be able to stay up that THAT long. Jet smiled, and relaxing turned on the television and stretched out. He rested his arm across the edge of the couch, affectionately fingering Gabby's shoulder as he did so.  
  
We must make a pretty picture, Gabby thought as she reached up and caressed Jet's fingers with her own. This is so nice. I would like to spend some more time ALONE with Jet, though. Glancing over at Jet, she saw him smiling happily. Oh well, if he's happy, I'm happy, and Ed will probably fall asleep soon....  
  
Two hours later, Ed was still bouncing. Gabby on the other hand was yawing. Standing up, she stretched, gazing tiredly at Edward.  
  
"I'm -yaaawn- going to bed, Ed, you really should too."  
  
Jet looked at her longingly, Gabby could clearly see it written on his face, but she merely shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"You too Jet. I expect to see you bright and early. Tomorrow is the day I'm mastering that stupid soup. Goodnight....."  
  
She tripped over the step to the hallway, and sleepily walked down to her room.  
  
Jet watched her until she was out of sight, then turned to Edward.  
  
"Ed, aren't you tired? Oh."  
  
Ed had fallen asleep on the couch, snoring and smiling in slumber. Jet shook his head and quietly laughed. Oh the irony, he thought as he stood up carefully, not wanting to disturb Edwards sleep, as he placed a pillow under her head.  
  
He walked own the hallway, to his own bedroom but walked past it. Stopping in a doorway next to Faye's, he saw Gabby asleep on her bed. He blew a kiss to her sleeping form as he turned around and walked into his own bedroom, stripping his clothes and lying on the bed, suddenly exhausted. Right before he dropped off to sleep, he mumbled a thought.  
  
"Spike still awake?"  
  
Spike was still awake, hotly smoking on cigarette as he sat in the control seat of the Bebop. He was waiting for Faye. He hadn't even seen her since Gabby's kidnapping incident, one week ago, just seeing her once as she staggared into her room, deeply drunk. He reached into his pocket for another cigarette. Finding none, he swore, and headed downstairs to get another pack. He walked into his room, next to Jet's, who he could hear mumbling in his sleep.  
  
"Cream o' potato...mmmph...not so hard....doing great!"  
  
Spike shook his head. Now that's devotion, he thought. He frowned suddenly. He had wanted to talk to Jet sometime this week about his concerns for Faye, but he had been wrapped up in Gabby all week. It was great that he was happy, but....but what? Was he jealous? No, not of him with Gabby, he had no real interest in her, though at a time he THOUGHT he did. No, he was faintly jealous of Jet because he was in...love. Not only that, but his feelings were returned, tenfold. The same could not be said about him. One woman was gone, never to be seen again, and the other....wait! There was no other, right? Right! Spike shook his head again. No thinking like that. Now where the hell is.....Faye. He stared dumbly out the door as he saw her tip toe past his open doorway down the hall to her room.  
  
  
A/N: Hey peoples!! Sorry it took me so long to wrtite this stinking chapter, but I was kinda stuck on a concept (thanks cowgirl!!). Not much to say, wanna thank all 10 (!!) of my reviewers!! I know it's kind of a small number, and when I saw it I was like "Oh great, back at square one" but I realized it's really a big number!! Double digits peoples!!! Ok luv ya all, big smooches! ^.^ 


	3. Cucina Dio

Faye quietly snuck down the hall of the Bebop, careful not to wake anybody up,   
especially Jet or Spike. She reached her room and dug around in her closet for a bag. She   
was leaving for good this time.  
  
"...when this is all over, you're in big trouble."  
  
She remembered the words Jet had softly growled the week before. The words had   
scared her then, and they scared her now. She had left the night Gabby got back after   
patching things up with her. She knew Gabby didn't blame her for anything, but Jet and   
Spike.....  
She knew she had really screwed up this time. Finally finding a piece of luggage in   
the jumble of odds and ends and dirty clothes that Gabby had missed, she set it on her bed   
and silently flung clothes into the bag. They'll be sorry, she suddenly thought, a wave of   
anger washing over her. Sorry they were so mean to me. What kind of bounty hunters were they   
without the femme fatale to seduce the bounties? Who would replace her? Gabby? She snorted   
in spite of her mood. Doesn't matter, she thought, her fright coming back. I know Spike and   
Jet keep their word. Whatever's coming I should just accept it, but....  
  
She sat on her bed, shakily zipping the bag. I know what Jet and Spike are capable   
of. I'm sure they won't physically hurt me......I hope. She shook her head. I'm wasn't going   
to stick around to find out. I'm really leaving for good this time. I'm not even taking any   
money, what's the point?   
  
She stood up, slinging the bag over her arm, and walked out to the hallway, turning   
to her next door neighbor Gabby. She wanted to say good-bye. She stood in the doorway and   
leaned against the frame. Gabby was asleep. Faye debated whether or not to wake her.  
  
"Mio prediletto, Jet, tu ara mia cucina dio...mmm..."  
  
Faye could hear Gabby giggle in her sleep.  
  
"I don't know what she said, and I don't WANNA know what she said." Faye mumbled.   
  
"I'll just leave a note..."  
  
She shook her head and sighed, and was about to turn around when she felt her arm   
being twisted up behind her back by a strong hand. She dropped her bag and tried to face her   
attacker but the grip tightened even harder.   
  
Faye softly cried out in pain as nails dug into her skin. The hold on her arm seemed   
to loosen a bit and she took her chance to fly around to give her assailant a good punch in   
the face.  
  
"Damnit Faye!"  
  
In the dim light of the hallway Faye could make out Spike's lanky silhouette rubbing   
its jaw.  
  
"Spike? What the hell were you doing!?"  
  
Still shaken up, she gained her senses and punched him again.  
  
"Ow! Quit it Faye!"  
  
She faced him, arms akimbo.  
  
"Well? Fess up lunkhead! What's the deal with trying to kill me!?"  
  
Spike looked down and put his hands in his pockets, ignoring Faye's question   
entirely.  
  
"Where you goin'?"  
  
He pointed at the bag Faye had dropped in the scuffle.  
  
She froze, and seeing Spike's bored face that she knew was masking concern, stiffly   
bent down and picked up her bag.  
  
She looked him straight in the eye, uncaring as to what he did to her and spoke.  
  
"I'm leaving. For good this time. Now get out of my way."  
  
She turned and tried to walk around him, but was stopped by a firm hand on her   
chest.  
  
"...You didn't take any money, did you?"  
  
She narrowed her eyes and almost spat her answer in his face.  
  
"No, now let me go."  
  
Spike moved swiftly and grasped both of Faye's arms and met her frightened emerald   
eyes with his.  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
Already startled, she nearly jumped at his question.  
  
"W-what do you mean 'why'? For the third time, I'm leaving! Now move!"  
  
Spike kept his grip on her and stared at her levelly until she looked away.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Faye, Spike's hands fell to his   
sides.   
  
She looked up into his face, and saw sadness and bewilderment flash in his eyes   
before he looked away.  
  
Faye stood rooted. What's this? She thought. Spike? Lunkhead? The guy with the fuzzy   
hair.....sad? At....my leaving? She felt her heartstrings twang as he stepped aside suddenly.  
  
"...Go ahead. I can't stop you."  
  
She glanced at him in apprehension, finally stepping to his side and walking down   
the hall.  
  
She walked into the hanger and threw her stuff into her Red Tail, and stepping up   
she again felt a strong hand on her arm.  
  
"What is it this ti-"  
  
She stopped short and Spike leaned up and brushed his lips against her cheek.   
  
She blinked at him in shock as he halfheartedly grinned at her.  
  
"Just wanted to say good-bye. And good luck."  
  
Faye stared after him as he walked towards the door. Shaking her head, she climbed in   
and, without another thought or look back, sped off into the dark sky.  
  
Spike stared at the door to the hanger he had just walked through, listening to   
Faye's ship leave. He whispered a last word that he knew Faye couldn't hear.  
  
"Come back..."  
  
  
A/N: Whew! Took me long enough! Sorry I haven't updated for a while, been kinda busy with   
the STUPID COMPUTER PROJECT. I mean c'mon! It's pathetic when you have to do a in-class   
project at home when you can't so it at school because NOBODY in your class know how to do   
the freaking thing so you spend your whole class period running around helping them and the   
kids who DO know how to do the project sit on their STUPID BUTTS and tell you to be quieter   
explaining something so they can do their projects. But COME ON PEOPLE! It's only HTML!! I   
swear I am surrounded by idiots. Ur, heh, sorry about that. Anywho, I'll post this as soon   
as possible when ff.net gets back up), and Nami? Again, I'm really sorry and I'm emailing   
you right now! I've been talking to cowgirl, and I don't want to give away anything, but we   
have a surprise up our sleeves! Okay, thanks to all of my reviewers!! I love you all! *Blows   
kisses* smooch smooch, see you all soon! ^.^ Oh yeah, as for the Italian, you'll have to figure it out yourself! 


	4. Toldja So

As Spike dejectedly walked to his room, Faye flew through space, thinking that if she went fast enough she could outrun thoughts of Spikes good-bye kiss.  
  
She absentmindedly stroked her cheek where his lips had touched. Her hand flew away from the spot as she brought it down with a bang on her dashboard.   
  
Damnit Spike! She thought. Just when I thought I could leave it all behind, forget it all, then YOU have to come in and screw things up. She rubbed her temples in frustration. If I get a migraine, I'm turning right back around to kill you lunkhead. She sat still for minute, just watching stars and meteors fly past. Why did he do that? Does he...? No. Like I said before, he's too hung up on Julia. Grr! What a lunkhead! Can't he just get over her?  
  
Why do you care? Came a tiny voice inside her heart. I don't! I don't, I don't, I don't. But what if HE did? What if he does care? What if.....  
  
Faye bit her lip as she allowed her next thought.  
  
...I care? Do I? I don't! She sighed tiredly as she let all thoughts slip from her mind. She hadn't gotten any sleep since she left the bar yesterday afternoon. She yawned, rubbing her eyes. Hang on Faye, almost there. She knew exactly where she was going, and she could only hope there were bars there.  
  
She landed on the rocky terrain, surveying the landscape for a sign of civilization. Fighting to keep her eyes open, she leaned back in her seat.  
  
"No, Faye, gotta....find somewhere...get cramps if ya sleep in the....Zzzzzz....."  
  
~Faye was in the hammerhead, the day she brought Gabby to her first casino and got her kidnapped in the same day. She looked over at Gabby, seemingly homely donned in her blouse and pleated skirt of that day next to Faye's outfit. Gabby's face was timidly whispering skepticism, and finally eased out her concerns on Faye's last comment.  
  
"Maybe for you, Faye things are like that, but, I don't think Jet is like that....or Spike either. They've both lost women who they loved, I think that counts for something, right?"  
  
Faye scrunched up her face in thought as she tried to explain.  
  
"Well, yeah, but they're still men on the inside. See...the stuff I just said is about MEN. Some where out there, there is a person for everyone else. Like a soul mate or some shit like that. Whether you find that person is entirely up to you, but there is someone out there who you are destined to spend your whole damn life with. See, with Spike and Jet obviously weren't meant to be with Julia and what's her face-"  
  
"Alisa." Gabby said softly.  
  
"Yeah, whatever, but it just wasn't meant to be. Spike is hung up over that fact, see?"  
  
Faye looked back to the windshield, and she could feel sadness pitting deep in her stomach. She fought back a deep sigh and glanced at Gabby, who was taking her time to think things over. She did that a lot, Faye thought.  
  
"Well, what about you, Faye?"  
  
Faye turned to Gabby.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, do you think you'll ever find your 'soul mate'? There's a lot of people out there."  
  
"I get around, I'll find him someday......"~  
  
Faye slowly opened her eyes that were screaming their protesting to the bright sunlight streaming through her windshield. She sat up and winced as she felt the cramps that had worked their way into her muscles. Toldja so, she thought grimly. She stepped outside, stretching out her aches and snapped her head up as she remembered her dream. Sitting down on a rock, she looked at the blue sky and thought about it.  
  
Hmm, she thought. I remember that day. She stood up and walked away from the ship. Out there somewhere... What if he isn't? What if I never find him? That was just a load of shit, anyway. I just said it to make Gabby feel better. And to steer her away from Spike....BECAUSE she really loved Jet. Yeah. Well, it worked. She sighed and walked back to her ship. Doesn't matter. I don't need anybody anyway. I'm fine all by my self.  
  
Faye climbed into her ship and flicked it on.  
  
"I need a drink. Now where do they keep the bars in this ant-farm..."  
  
**************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Spike blinked, rubbing the sleep from his eyelids. A clock next to his bed shone at him with 4:39 PM. Damn, he thought. I slept long. Figures. I didn't get to bed until around five. He sat up, thinking about what had happened. Oh well. She's gone. Where's my cigarettes? I'm hungry.  
  
As he got out of bed and pulled on his clothes, he felt a pang of sadness. The feeling stopped him in his tracks. Uh-uh. No way. I am NOT feeling this for Faye. The feeling was sickeningly familiar. Last night, when he had stopped Faye it had hit him full force. And the kiss. Why the hell did I do that? He shook his head and walked out the door down the hall to the kitchen, expecting to find Gabby and Jet in there.   
  
Finding no one cooking anything, he searched the fridge for some food. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, he wracked his brains for some kind of excuse for his actions last night. Spontaneous....uh, yeah. Didn't mean anything. Nope. Nothin' at all. He walked back to his room, wondering why he had gone to the kitchen in the first place.   
  
He patted himself down for cigarettes. I love Faye. He lit one, slowly inhaling. Do I? He sat on his bed, calmly taking in all the feelings and questions he had hid in a closet in the back of his mind, never intending to let them out. Do I really feel for Faye? Or is it just the physical attraction? I mean Faye is, well, Faye. Do I really LOVE Faye? Yes.  
  
The answer came swift and without warning. Spike lay back on his bed, blowing smoke fluidly through his lips. I'm not fighting myself on this one. So, I love Faye. Hn, wonder why I didn't realize it before. Julia...   
  
He shook his head. That's over and done with, no use dwelling over the past. But she's gone... No! I'm not gonna let this one get away. He sat up and walked over to the wall that abutted Jet's. I gotta talk to Jet...  
  
He heard thumps and bounces coming from Jet's squeaky mattress through the wall. He swore he could hear giggles too. Spike's face turned red as he thought, never mind. I don't want to interrupt. I DEFINATLY don't want to interrupt. I'm leaving.  
  
He slung his jacket over his shoulder and walked in the opposite direction of Jet and his rooms towards the hatch.  
  
**************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Gabby lay on Jet's bed with her head on his chest, his arms around her, exhausted. Edward was bouncing on the bed giggling and grinning at Gabby and Jet. They had been up since six o' clock that morning, and hadn't been able to get a moment's peace all day, courtesy of Ed. They didn't even have a chance to give the vichyssoise a shot. Finally, when Ed had cheerfully sat down at her computer when Gabby had asked her to search for a new brand of dog food for Ein, Gabby and Jet had found tranquility in his room, immediately falling asleep on his bed. Fifteen minutes later, Ed awoke them by deciding to see how high up she could jump.  
  
Ed, Gabby thought, you have to love her. She felt Jet's chest fall and rise slowly and steadily. She looked up into his face to find he was asleep. She grabbed one of Ed's ankles, causing the girl to trip and almost fall off the bed.  
  
"What did Gabby-Wabby do that to Edward for?" Ed asked, pouting.  
  
Gabby held a finger to her lips.  
  
"Shhh. Jet's gone to sleep, let's let him rest okay? C'mon", she extended a hand to Ed, "let's go make some cookies."  
  
"Cookies!"  
  
"Shh!"  
  
"Cookies!" Ed whispered, and zoomed out the door down the hall to the kitchen.  
  
Gabby gently lifted Jet's arms off her and kissed him on the cheek. Leaving she vaguely wondered to herself if Faye had gotten home last night. She stopped in the hallway. Where is Spike? I haven't seen him all day... Oh well. She shrugged he shoulders. I shouldn't worry about him. Maybe he's gone out to look for Faye? He was really worried about her last night. She smiled to herself, and continued her walk into the kitchen, only to find Edward falling off a chair, trying to get to the chocolate chips Gabby had placed on the highest shelf, finding that if they were placed anywhere else, Edward would eat them in one day. Since she came onto the ship she had noticed that Edward had a real passion for chocolate chips and anything involving them. She remembered the first time she had invited Edward to make cookies with her, mainly to escape the embarrassment of her first incident with Jet.   
  
~Ed stood looking at Gabby with wide eyes, and Gabby thought she understood. Ed did exactly what Gabby said, but when it came to the chocolate chips, Ed dumped the whole bag into the large bowl, and started stirring frantically with a wooden spoon Gabby had produced from her apron pocket.   
  
"Um, Ed honey?"  
  
"Yes yes?"  
  
"That's a lot of chocolate chips."  
  
"Yes yes! Lotso choco!"~  
  
She smiled again and caught Ed, just as she was about to hit the floor as she climbed up onto the counter, which she had discovered was the only way for her to reach the upmost shelves, and grabbing the bag of chocolate chips, hopped back down and got out her utensils, all thoughts on Spike or Faye gone.  
  
  
A/N: Hiya! Thanks going out to all my loyal reviewers and people who read this story, I love you all! Anywho, moo, (you know ((as cowgirl already knows (((hi!))))) my AIM moos every time I send a message or someone sends me a message, just thought of that) I asked my great aunt Wanda, and she doesn't speak much english, so maybe it's her fault, but what I MEANT for Gabby to say was, 'My DARLING Jet, you ARE a kitchen god.' I know it sounds stupid know, but whatever ^-^ And Blooknaburg, chicken?? If you feel left out, I must be stranded, because I have NO idea what you were talking about. Sorry it took me kind of a long time to make this chapter, but I STILL haven't had much time for anything other than this stupid project. And you know what? I've fond that I can't open it up form school!! So, I'm going to have to pull some strings-or get an F. And SushiGirl, I don't know if you're even reading this story, but as I already told you, I read your story, and I LOVE it!! Whew, this is really long. Oh! And Nami, I'm e-mailing you right now!! Love you all!! Big smooches, ^.^ 


	5. The Perfect Seashell

Spike sat in his swordfish, ready to go and find Faye, when a stream of questions hit him. Where was she? Was she alright? Would Jet or Gabby worry? What would he do once he found her?   
  
The last one stung his heart as a painful realization came to him:  
  
Did Faye feel the same way?  
  
He sat back in his seat, deflated. Why bother if he wasn't sure? He remembered all the times Faye had criticized him or called him 'lunkhead'. Why do I love her? he wondered to himself. She was never nice to me...   
  
That's because you were never nice to her. He sat dumbly, waiting for that damned voice to some back and elaborate. Finally, it squeaked again:   
  
Every time she reached out to you, you shoved her away. Spike shook his head, not wanting to believe his conscience, which was frustratingly always right. Memories buzzed through his head like bees, each one stinging: seeing Faye for the first time, smiling at him in her uniform; listening to her spill her heart out to Ein; working with her on almost every bounty; Faye's childhood "VHS"; her cautioning him with eyes that masked concern before he went to go fight Pierrot le Fou; waking up bandaged, Faye smiling and humming, his telling her she was off-key.   
  
He buried his head in his hands, not wanting to remember the last one. I was just kidding! I was just trying to get her mad. I was still hung up on Julia!   
  
Excuses flooded his head. He pushed them all away, knowing each one was as useless as bell peppers without any beef. He sighed, giving in once again to his stupid feelings. Well, he thought angrily, you could have clued me in on this whole "love" thing before, you know. The voice stayed silent.   
  
He sighed again. What if Faye DOESN'T feel the same way? What if she does? Would things even work out? He waited uselessly for the voice to make one last appearence. He rubbed his temples, tired of the internal conflicts that were wearing him out. Guess I gotta figure this one out by myself.  
  
He sat for a minute, waiting for anything to come and give him a sign. Jeez. Me and Faye. Would it work out? He furrowed his eyebrows, determined to find this one out by himself.   
  
Of course! Spike smiled triumphantly, but quickly sobering as he came to a serious thought. I LOVE her. LOVE. Not those little flings or one night stands. We were meant for each other. He smacked his forehead, wondering for the tenth time why he hadn't figured this all out before. He froze for a minute, unsure whether or not to let the next thought through. Oh well, better sooner than later.  
  
What about Julia? What about her? I thought she was the one, and look what happened... He thought about what exactly had happened with Julia. Suddenly, a horrifying thought hit him. I wasn't in love with Julia- I needed someone to love, and there she was. Beautiful, blonde, 'in' with the syndicate. But, nothing really happened. Sure they slept together, told each other that the other was their missing half, but really, he didn't establish a relationship with her. She was, after all, Vicious's girlfriend the whole time. All the times Spike was away from her, he would make up virtues for her until she was his supreme goddess, perfect in every way, his missing link. He smirked sadly. The grass is always greener on the other side. What the hell does that mean, anyway?   
  
He closed his eyes, taking in everything. He sighed. Feelings tore at his insides, ripping him apart. Julia had been his world, what every good and holy was based on, and now this comes along?! His world was falling down, and he accepted it. He smiled grimly to himself. Well, now I guess Faye will have to be Miss Holier Than Thou. He snorted. Maybe not.   
  
He started his engine good humouredly for what had just happened.   
  
He was going to go get Faye. Period. Nothing else mattered.  
  
He sped off in his ship, not wanting to think about any other possibilies.  
  
**************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Gabby shooed Edward out of the kitchen after the cookies were put into the oven. Ed had made a larger mess than usual, and Gabby knew that if Ed stayed any longer, she would knock something else over. Gabby tiredly wet a dishtowel from her apron pocket and began to wipe down the counters, picking up boxes as she went. Her usually infinite patience was shot along with her nerves. Two weeks on the Bebop and already she was pooped. She stood up straight pulling back her shoulders.   
  
"I am NOT a whiner." She thought aloud. "I will do this, and I will do this right, and I am NOT tired."  
  
Jet walked in the room, yawning.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Gabby spun around, forgetting the lecture she had just been giving herself, and latched her arms around Jet's neck.  
  
"Jet we need a vacation!"  
  
Jet looked at her amusedly for a minute.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"What did you have in mind?"  
  
"Somewhere with a beach, somewhere nice, somewhere smallish, somewhere nice.."  
  
"You said that twice."  
  
"That's because it's twice as important!"  
  
Jet smiled tenderly at Gabby, not letting her know that going away with her was the thing he wanted most in the world. That and getting his hair back, but that was besides the point.  
  
"...We'd have to take Ed and Ein with us...."  
  
"I don't care! They can share a room. I just need to feel the sun on my face and a cool ocean breeze...."  
  
She sighed, knowing that what she had just said probably sounded as stupid as she thought it did. Jet merely looked at her lovingly. She folded her hands and gave him her sweetest look.  
  
"Pleeeaase Jet? We've been drifting around in space ever since I got back! We can go anywhere you want, just so long as there is a beach and a place to sleep."  
  
Jet grinned and pulled her close to him, kissing her forehead and smoothing her hair as if she was five years old.  
  
"Sure, I know just the place..."  
  
  
An hour later, Gabby, Jet, and Ed with Ein in her lap were flying towards Ganymede, all squished together in the Hammerhead, a cargo trailer being dragged along. Gabby had persuaded Jet to leave the Bebop in its regular docking place in case Spike or Faye came home.  
  
As they neared Jet's hometown on Ganymede a face popped up in the monitor in Jet's windshield. Brown and wrinkly, the person smiled and threw up his hands.  
  
"Jet!"  
  
"Donelly!"  
  
Jet greeted the man with an equal amount of eagerness. Gabby leaned in and smiled at the face.  
  
"Ooh? And who's this pretty little lady?"  
  
Jet, already cramped for space, managed to slip an arm around Gabby's shoulders.  
  
"This is Gabby, and lay off, she's spoken for."  
  
Gabby blushed slightly as Jet tightened his grip on her.  
  
"I would never! Pleased to meet you, missy."  
  
Why do people always call me that? she wondered.  
  
"Hey, Donelly, nice to see you again, we'll be here for a week or so, staying at the Fisherman, so we'll drop by! How's that sound?"  
  
"Sounds good to me! Have fun!"  
  
They swerved around and parked in front of a beat up motel on the rocky beachfront. The was an old sign with faded paint over the doorway that said, "The Fisherman".  
  
As Gabby detangled herself from the jumble of limbs that belonged to Jet, Ed, and Ein, she surveyed the landscape. Hmmm, she thought. Not as nice as I imagined, but I'll trust Jet on this one. She smiled and looked over at Jet, who was trying to carry all the bags by himself. She shook her head, but didn't do anything, knowing that he wouldn't let her help anyway. She sighed and felt her heart swell up. He's such a gentleman.  
  
The trio traipsed into the motel, Ein trailing behind, being wonderfully obedient. The old man at the counter woke up when Jet dropped the suitcases on the floor.   
  
"Jet?" He croaked.  
  
Gabby looked over at Jet who grinned wider than she had ever seen him do, and struck up a conversation of old friends with the withered old man. She smiled. Is there anybody Jet DOESN'T know in this town?   
  
Finally getting their rooms (Ed and Ein in a room, Gabby had her own, and Jet had his own) and getting everything set up, Gabby set Ed off on an expedition on finding the perfect seashell that she could attach to her computer when they got home. Ed had zoomed off in the direction of the beach, Ein barking at her heels. Gabby shook her head, almost feeling bad for tricking Ed. She knew there would be no shells on a beach filled with rocks. Oh well. She shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Jet, who had his hand outstretched for her to hold.   
  
She trotted over and grabbed his hand, feeling that if she got any happier, she would burst. Jet had been much more outgoing and affectionate since they had arrived. She had long since guessed that this was where he had grown up. They walked around the town, stopping every five minutes to talk to someone else. Finally they came in front of a snazzy looking bar that said "La Fin" over the doorway.  
  
Jet pulled her closer and held open the door for her.  
  
"I want you to meet someone."  
  
Oh, you mean I haven't met everyone already? she thought.  
  
The bar was bustling with a crowd of good natured drunks, all patting Jet on the back as he passed them. Finally they came to the counter as Gabby sat down, and Jet stood, a strange smile on his face. A woman walked out from behind a curtain and immediately froze before Gabby could get a good look at her, looking at Jet.   
  
"Alisa.."  
  
Gabby's eye's went wide in shock and her jaw felt like it hit the floor. THIS was Alisa?  
  
"Jet.."  
  
The woman's voice was soft and melodic.  
  
"So, I see you've got the 'La Fin' back up. Is Rhint still in jail?"  
  
Jet's voice was strange and highly pitched for his usual gruff growl.  
  
"Yes, he still has a year and a half sentence, I hope he's all right..."  
  
Jet smiled and said something else in that strange pitch, striking up a conversation, but it was all lost to Gabby.  
  
She couldn't take her eyes off the woman who had broken Jet's heart, all those years ago. She's beautiful.....Gabby thought. Not voluptuous and fun beautiful like Faye, but a mysterious, gentle kind of beautiful. She was tall and thin, with big brown eyes, and that black straight, shiny, stylish hair Gabby was supposed to have been born with. Her skin was flawless and milky. Gabby's unwittingly touched her own hair, brown and wavy, frizzing out from the long ride. She fingered a place on her hairline where a blemish had begun to pop up. As she stared up at the woman again, she noticed that Alisa was probably a perfect match for Jet, height, weight, age, and looks. Gabby felt like crying. She was neither tall, she must have been at least three inches shorter, and had been getting chubby since she had boarded the ship. And she was probably five years younger than Alisa, since Jet was eight or nine years older than her.  
  
Suddenly, Alisa noticed Gabby and the tears welling up in her eyes, and leaned into her.  
  
"Excuse me, are you alright?"  
  
And she's kind too!  
  
Gabby sniffed and shook her head.  
  
"Oh, just allergies. Do you have a tissue or something?"  
  
As Alisa handed Gabby a napkin, Jet totally ignored Gabby's tears, and hurriedly introduced her.  
  
Alisa extended a hand.  
  
"It's so nice to meet you."  
  
Gabby smiled, wiping her nose.  
  
"Likewise, I'm sure."  
  
Jet and Alisa talked for another half an hour, Gabby growing more miserable by the minute. By the time they left, Gabby was silent, and didn't even respond when Jet held her hand. Finally reaching the motel, Gabby muttered something about putting things away, and ran up the stairs. Jet scratched his head in confusion, and went tout to look for Ed.  
  
Gabby flopped on her bed and let out all the tears she had been hiding for the last forty-five minutes. She had never felt so ugly in her entire life. How could Jet stand to be with her? He probably didn't. She felt ashamed at doubting Jet's feelings, but couldn't help it. Come to think of it, he had never really kissed her since the time he told her that she was his sunshine. That was sweet and all, but just look at how he was with Alisa! He was totally different, relaxed and happy. How could I have been so fooled as to think that I was his one and only? She cried harder. It's not fair!   
  
Why wasn't it fair? Because I love him! I love him more than anything! Why is this happening to me...? She sniffed, wiping her nose on her arm and looked out the window. It was dark outside. Gee, how long have I been in here? She flopped back down on the bed, waves of sadness renewing her tears. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.   
  
She sat up. The door opened without a response. Jet stood in the doorway, looking concerned.  
  
"Are you alright? You've been up here for three hours."  
  
Three hours? Really? It didn't seem like that long...  
  
Gabby sniffed again.  
  
"I'm just fine..."  
  
Jet sat on the bed and looked into her face blotchy red, with hair stuck to places where tears had dried. Gabby knew she did not make a pretty picture.  
  
Jet peeled a wad of hair from her cheek and smiled at her. Pulling her close, he whispered to her.  
  
"Ohh, it's okay, what's the matter? We're on vacation, remember?"  
  
Gabby pulled away furiously, all tears gone.  
  
"Jet, you know you still love Alisa!"  
  
Jet raised his eye brows. That was all the response Gabby needed.  
  
"I mean, even if I didn't see how you were talking to her, just look at her! She's perfect! You and her were a match made in heaven. I don't even want to know how I looked next to her. Don't even say it. And I'll bet she cooks better too..."  
  
Jet looked sadly at Gabby, and started to explain as if he were talking to a child.  
  
"Gabby, of course I love Alisa-"  
  
Gabby's face went taut with fury.  
  
"-but not in that way. We've shared memories, and a good part of both of our lives. I love her as a friend, same as Donelly, but I didn't live with Donelly for years, and Donnelly never broke my heart."  
  
Gabby merely stared at him with skepticism.  
  
"Gabby, I love YOU. You. Only you. You are perfect, you are kind, you are beautiful, you get along great with Ed and Ein, you clean, you shop, and you love ME despite all that I am. And to tell you the truth, I always cooked when we were together."  
  
Gabby gazed at him sadly, still wanting an explanation.  
  
"Then how come you've never kissed me?"  
  
"I've kissed you.."  
  
Gabby could see Jet's face getting red despite the dim lighting of the room.  
  
"I didn't know you wanted me to kiss you...like that...I didn't want to disrespect you or anything.."  
  
Gabby's face softened.  
  
"Oh Jet, I'm so sorry, please forgive me... I really behaved badly, didn't I?"  
  
Jet grinned, her rounded chin disappearing in his paw-like hand.  
  
"It's nice to know you were jealous, though."  
  
He kissed her, and it was just as Gabby remembered, sweet and soft, but strong and passionate. She barely felt his hands snake their way behind her back and under her knees as he carried her next door into his room, and she certainly didn't notice the small head poking it's way out of the door on the other side of Jet's room as it giggled and snuck back into it's own room.  
  
  
A/N: Okay! Finally! I'm done! Whew. Too tired to write anymore, Blooknaburg is waiting patiently, so: 31 reviews! Woo hoo! *Yawn* Okay love ya all. Big smooches ~.~ ---very tired 


	6. Cause It Was Fun!

She could barely hear the tap-tap-tap of her heels on the concrete of the underground sidewalks of Earth. The streets were milling with the freaks that had burrowed underground since the gate accident. She strolled along, stopping now and then to peer into windows, halted by small street vendors wanting her to take a look at their wares. She kept walking, searching for a bar that would satisfy her seemingly infinite thirst for liquor. No one seemed to notice her.  
  
Well, I'll just have to do something about THAT, thought Faye as she pushed open a rich mahogany door that sharply contrasted with its dingy surroundings. She turned her head sharply to return the stare of a muscle bound man standing near the entrance as her gaze calmly swept the room. Mostly men in expensive suits, with a few women in pearls and cocktail dresses. Wow, she thought. This must be a real classy joint. Pearls had been increasingly rare since Ganymede Oysters had been announced an endangered species. Faye smirked disgustedly as the women gazed at her boredly. She had the strangest idea that these women could eat pearls for breakfast everyday if they wanted to. Faye felt awkwardly out of place as she surveyed her surroundings.  
  
It was a large place, dim and swathed in maroon. There was a dark stage with a thin man playing the piano. A black woman was singing. She had a low throaty voice, and the song she was singing seemed to float out from some area around her neck.  
  
Seeing that no one was paying much attention to her, she sighed and leaned over the bar, making her shorts ride up just enough, before sitting on a velvet stool. She could feel the familiar sound of heads turning to get a better look at her. Faye sighed. For about the thousandth time that month she asked herself why she even bothered getting men. Because it was fun! She smiled to herself as she ordered a Barry Manhattan from the skinny redheaded bartender. Yeah, it WAS fun. The whole process. Being the center of attention, toying with the men, their feelings. If she was lucky, she could make some bitch angry for 'stealing her man'. It was just too funny. And most guys were more than willing to lend her some money, which was a big part of it.  
  
She sipped on her drink, daintily clinking the ice as she set it down, carefully pretending not to notice the two men that had sat on either side of her. She smiled and looked down; giving no sign that she sensed their presence.  
  
The man on her right raised a finger to the bartender, and he placed another drink in front of Faye.  
  
"It's on me."  
  
Faye slowly looked over at the man, making her eyes big to give her the helpless air she needed.  
  
"Oh, really I couldn't..."  
  
"I insist."  
  
She smiled, lowering her eyelids to tone down the size. She wouldn't need that look again. Seeing the ashtrays, she took out a cigarette and her lighter.   
  
"Oh darn. I'm out of lighter fluid..."  
  
Faye put on her best surprised face as she man on her left let a flame engulf the tip of her cigarette.  
  
"Oh! Thank you."  
  
She sucked gracefully on the stick and pulled her gaze over to her gracious suitor, almost choking on her smoke as she did so. The man had the blackest eyes and hair she had ever seen. The eyes held her stare evenly as she blinked in surprise.   
  
"Something the matter?"  
  
His expression neither changed now wavered as he expressed his concerns. He had a very low voice.  
  
"N-no. N-nothing."  
  
Is there anything about this man that isn't in extremes? Snap out of it, Faye, she thought. It's just a guy. Just. A. Guy. She smiled as she turned to the other man who was trying to get her attention.  
  
"...Yes, actually, I am from Earth."  
  
"Oh, really."  
  
"And where are you from, handsome stranger?"  
  
The man smiled and extended his hand.  
  
"My brother, Miles, and I are from Mars. The nice section, mind you. My name is James. And you are...?"  
  
Faye hung her hand daintily in the air between them.  
  
"My name is Faye Valentine. It's a pleasure to meet such refined people."  
  
The man smiled again, shaking, instead of kissing, her waiting hand. Faye didn't like his smile. It showed more teeth than should be allowed.  
  
"Say hello, Miles."  
  
Faye again turned her attentions to the man on her left. He stared at her again with his level eyes. She felt unsettled when looking at him, yet also like she couldn't turn away. She mentally shook herself, reminding herself what species he was.   
  
"It's nice to meet you."  
  
An amused smiled played across Mile's face as he bent down over Faye's dangling hand and lightly brushed his lips sideways across it.  
  
"I'm enchanted, Miss Valentine."  
  
Faye fought to keep herself in check, shaking herself inwardly to remind herself what species she was talking to.  
  
The hours passed as the lights slowly dimmed, singer after singer replaced each other, and people began to leave, some with a new friend, most alone. Faye was unsettled. She couldn't place her finger on exactly what was wrong with this man. No matter what she said, the smile would not -could not- be wiped from his face. She was starting to get slightly frustrated. All of her flirtation tactics that had worked flawlessly on James and a number of other men that she had collected, in a matter of minutes.   
  
Finally, Faye made a bet with herself. If she could do ANYTHING to wipe that stupid smile of this man's face, she would treat herself to a day at a nice casino. She smiled to herself as she looked down. And I'll be damned, she thought, if James or one of my fans doesn't have connections to an establishment where I'll be treated VERY nicely.  
  
She looked back over at Miles and her smirk was wiped from her face, as were all thoughts of domination from her mind. There was no smile on his face now, only a look of questioning.  
  
Could she do it? Miles thought. She seems so damned sure of herself, that's not a bad trait. She sure as hell knows how to deal with men; I must be driving her crazy. She's got the body....but does she have the guts? What about motivation?  
  
"So, Miss Valentine, what do you do for a living?"  
  
Faye composed herself for about the hundredth time that evening and put herself back into charm mode, level ten.  
  
"Well, Mr. Miles, if you have to know, I am a bounty hunter. Am not so bad at it either, if I do say so myself."  
  
She cocked her head slightly and looked up at Miles.  
  
"What is your line of work? It must be a very...prosperous occupation."  
  
Miles put his mask back on. Perfect, he thought. She's just perfect.   
  
"I am, per say, a hired man. I do...certain jobs for people. It's a very similar profession as to yours, Miss Valentine, except...different. That and men of my profession get paid maybe, oh, let's say eight or nine times as much as bounty hunters."  
  
Faye's eyes went wide at the mention of 'eight or nine times as much'. Mile's noticed this and inwardly laughed. Money motivates her as well. Things are just going my way today.  
  
Faye's mind was reeling. What does this man do? She desperately wanted to know. If she was good at bounty hunting, and she knew she was good. Yeah Faye, lets not be modest here, she thought. She would undoubtedly be fabulous at whatever Miles did! Let's say a good bounty head brought in, oh, two or three million. Considering where he came from, there was bound to be high stakes on heads, and what did he say? Eight or nine times? That's...  
  
She mentally did the math in her head.  
  
That's sixteen to twenty-seven million a job! Faye sucked in her breath, no longer aware of any of the men around her.   
  
I'll be rich! She thought. I could buy a casino if I wanted! Even if I spent money like I do now, I'll still be rolling in it. That'll show them. Show them I don't need them. Wait. This has nothing to do with Spike. Nothing at all. Oh, yeah, Jet too. No, wait. This has nothing to do with them. Not at all. Nope, I am never going to think about those two again. So there.   
  
She looked back into Miles's face, only to find that his infuriating smile was still there. She pushed it aside and mustered all of her sexual appeal into one look and shot it at Miles.  
  
"Are there any openings in this occupation of yours for a lady like myself?"  
  
Miles gave her a full smile. The magnitude of it compared to his previous ones nearly knocked Faye out of her chair in surprise.  
  
"There just might be Miss Valentine."  
  
  
A/N: Hiya! This is going to be a long a/n so try to stay awake, okies? Barry Manhattan is a drink my great grandfather made up, uh I think. It's like a Manhattan (which is like a 100% alcoholic drink) except he put loganberry wine or something like that in it.... Don't ask me why he called it a 'Barry' Manhattan, his name was Roger. Oh well. And I forgot to put the disclaimer!!! Don't hurt me sunrise!! I Okay, here it is: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. There, happy? Jeez, this was a hard chapter to write. Both Spike and Faye are so hard to understand! Jet and Gabby and Ed and Ein are easy cause I have that 'grip' on their pesonalities. Actually, I guess Faye isn't THAT hard. I don't know why, but I see her as like a kinda Scarlett O'Hara character... Okay I'll stop babbling. Moving right along....  
  
Thanks again to my wonderful reveiwers, and I was reading them last night (self-esteem boost, don't ask...EXCEPT FOR...Cambridge {*deadly silence fills room*} eh-hem, I'll deal with you later...) and I was looking at some of the people who praised the story and WOW! Most of you guys are like, fabulous writers! Like some have like 10 stories, and you're saying my work is good!? I know this sounds really stupid, but the only word I can find to describe my feelings are honored! And as for all of my other reviewers (not that I don't absolutely adore you guys or think that you aren't all fabulous writers) thanks for all your support!! *sniff* okay now I'm getting all emotional. Gotta calm down. Deep breaths. So anyway, I just wanted to thank you all personally. (This is gonna be long, watch out)  
  
RySenkari- Wow. You. Are. So. Great. I read your funny sessions, and gahhh! LOVE THEM. And you have like, 120-something reviews (not that I measure how good a story is in reviews, mind you. or that I'm jealous...) I like, fainted when you wrote that I wrote wonderful stories. Seriously. I was like, "Wonderful? Hnnn...*thump*" But I just wanted to say, you are FABULOUS :-)   
  
Li-Chan- Oooh, always anonymous-mysterious! J/K. But you have given me a lot of wonderful reviews, so I just wanted to say thank you. So, THANK YOU! And I like it that you always look forward to reading more. But what are you going ot say when I finish the story?? Dun dun dun.....  
  
"Me"- I like your name, and another MYSTERIOUS anonymous reviewer. WhoOOooo. I liked your guess at what was happening. I was sitting there laughing, and my little bro was like, 'what, what?' Lol, thanks for the coolness report.  
  
Nami (Okanami Masomi [RyoukoT@msn.com])- Nami, Nami, Nami. I'm still hitting myself in the head for not emailing you the first time. I still can't believe I forgot! Thanks for the forgiveness, and I PROMISE I will continue to e-mail you everytime from now on. Love ya hon.  
  
Atomic One- Hey mushroom! You never e-mailed me back!! Oh, well. I forgive you. And hurry up with your story, I'm dying here! Edward MUST fall in love and live happily ever after. So hop to it!   
  
Cambridge- I HATE YOU! I ABHOR YOU... I AM NEVER GOING TO WRITE AGAIN BECAUSE OF YOU! j/k! Okay, it's not usually I get flames, so they really hit the heart....for about 20 minutes, lol. I see your point, about stealing the attention from SpikexFaye, but I'm sorry, I just got that last chapter idea and I was like, 'Woah, gotta write this.' I know the summary was starting to get misleading, but it's not done yet! An, yeah I guess my last one was a Mary Sue, except for the fact that my character is nothing like me.... lol. I kinda took my friends and family's best traits and lumped them all together. But you don't know me, so I'll let it go. Just one last thing, that whole thing you were ticked off about with Spike just 'waking up and realizing everything'? Well, doll, dude, what ever the hey you are (unspecified...? O.o), I absolutely LOVE to read and write about stuff like that. You know? Like, you're minding your own business, and phoof, it hits you. Especially love. *sigh* Like it feels like the breath is knocked out of you, but also like it happens everyday? And you're just like, 'Oh.' Aww, what ever. I just really feel strongly about that, and I wanted to let you know. So there :P Joking! (jeez I hope you have a sense of humor...) But seriously hon, no hard feelings ^.^ I can totally see where you're coming from.  
  
Milkyway- Wow, what's with all the anonymous reviewers? Not that I mind! It adds a little mystery to life ;) Just curious, what are you named after-the candy bar, or the galaxy-star-thingy? And which came first: the chicken or the egg? Which brings me to my next reviewer. (And I'll answer my own question: A turkey gave uh, birth (???) to a chicken egg.)  
  
Blooknaburg- Heeeeyyy!! One of my favorite peoples in the world! What is up?? I'm gald you got your computer back up, it was nice to finally meet you! OLO!! I hate it when my computer is down, and after I read what happened to you, I was like, "Oh my God, it could happen to anybody!" So I bugged my Dad for a long time, maybe and hour, and I am going to get my very own laptop for Christmas!!!! I know!! SO, only 62 days till technical freedom! (And 68 days until my birthday ^.^ {Yes, I'm counting}) Get your next chapter up, I adore your story! (Hey that kinda rhymes) I still don't understand what you are talking about with the chicken, (a mystery!!!) but w/e. And I think akimbo is a funny word too.That's why I wrote it! You know what are other funny words? Toofers, golf, lunch, milk, yah, yay and y'all. But you have to say them right. Toofers (self explanitory), goooolllf, lllluuunnch, mmmmmiiilk, yaah, yaay(!) and ya-alllll. Sorry, I know you're probably like, 'Um, okay...', and I get that everytime I try to mention it to somebody. Oh well.  
  
Cowgirl- Hiya!!! Another one of my favorite peoples!! Get on soon so we can talk about our 'project', okies!? I'm missing our mooing sessions. Wah! You updated!! I'm so happy, did you read my review? Yay Mr. Pianoman!! Yay Lana Princess!! Tell Mr. Butterfly Homie G says hi! Oh and cabasa is a funny word too. Oh, and you know what is another cool Cowboy Bebop Song? Ask DNA. Its so funny! And the Egg and I (and you). And Go Go Cactus Man. And Don't Bother None. And Chicken Bone. And many others, but those are my all time favorite funny ones. We need to talk, pronto, okies?? Love ya!!!  
  
Moo- Glad I staighened you out on that matter. And what does Altavista know anyways? Hmmmph...  
  
Setryochi (ondagoatama@yahoo.com)- Alright! Jeez! Keep your shirt on!  
  
The Crimson Comet- Omg, another great writer. I can't believe how many stories you've written! *bows*Of course I will update soon, master.   
  
Sir Edward Baka Sama- Had to read your post a couple of times before I understood it, but it's all good :-) I read your story, and it's pretty good so far, I think I reviewed it, but write some more okies?? By the way, whats Tenjou?   
  
Skidlebop- Naughty naughty! I would never write anything like that! (*sigh* another guilty pleasure, useless...lol) Tell you what, you want a lemon? Let me kow, I'll personally write you the whole thing of what happened after chapter 5. Lol! Hey! I love Invader Zim too! ("Scary monkey show!" "He lost it in....THE WAR." "MY SQUEEZING ARM! THEY TOOK MY SQUEEZING ARM!") It's just so funny, but anyways, I like that word updateness. Don't know why I wrote that, it just came to mind. And you used that wonderful word: yay!  
  
As for anybody else, sorry if I didn't mention you, I'm doing this mostly from memory, so accept my most sincere apologies!! Big smooches ^.^ 


	7. Leslie?

Spike was racing through space for the fifth time that day to the next casino on his list.  
  
This had been tougher than he had imagined. When he first had the whole 'epiphany', his thoughts were organized. First: Find Faye. Second: Bring Faye home. Third: Be in love with Faye.  
  
What had sounded so good when he was starting the ignition was seemingly hopeless now. But he wasn't going to give up hope. Nope. One thing at a time. So, first, find Faye. This particular step wasn't going too well so far. That was due to the fact that there was a whole galaxy, with millions of miles, nine planets, with thousands of miles on each, and hundreds of towns and cities on each planet. And within those cities and towns were a plethora of casinos and places you could bet at. Not to mention bars. So, obviously, he had his work cut out for him.   
  
He had mentally made a list of all the biggest, baddest, and most famous casinos in the galaxy before setting out, so he had some idea of where he was going. The problem lay in getting to the right one, at the right time.   
  
He sighed and lay back in his seat for about the tenth time since he had left. Where the hell is she? His hand formed a tight fist. Why did she have to leave AFTER he found everything out?  
  
"Damnit Faye!"  
  
He rubbed his eyes; exhausted from the effort he was putting into his search.   
  
She always had that power, he thought. No matter what, she could always get him riled up. Even now when she could be between a ten and a ten million-mile range, she could still get his goat.   
  
He grinned. That's Faye. Always gotta be difficult. Always gotta be the one that plants her feet firmly and goes against the current. And why? Just for the hell of it! Just 'cause she damn well felt like it.   
  
He smiled again, grimly this time. There's a fine line between love and hate. Wish it were a bit clearer. That would make my job a hell of a lot easier.   
  
Spike yawned. This love business sure was strenuous.   
  
He landed down on a meteor near mars, the flashy sign showing the way to the establishment. The sign assaulted his sleep-deprived eyes and he had to squint as he neared it.   
  
He stepped inside the casino, yawning still. The lights inside were brighter than the tacky sign, and Spike considered getting out his sunglasses.   
  
He walked around a bit, his tactic for the last seven casinos, searching for a purple-haired woman in a yellow outfit.   
  
Please let me find her, he thought. This is getting pathetic.   
  
He walked around a bit more, now fully aware of what a night with out sleep of coffee could to you. He finally scratched his head in defeat, turning to find the exit.   
  
Suddenly a flash of yellow caught his eye. He spun around to find to find its source, his heart jumping all over the place inside his chest.  
  
False alarm. He was greeted by a huge man in a banana-yellow suit, waddling to the poker tables. Spike grimaced and headed to the door shaking his head and rubbing his temples. This had been a long day.  
  
He headed back to his ship, cursing and trying to stay awake.  
  
That's it, he thought. I'm going home and having Ed do this for me. Should have done that in the first place. I wonder if anybody missed me?  
  
  
  
Gabby clipped Ein's leash onto his collar and turned to wave to Ed and Jet. Ed had recruited Jet in her search for the perfect seashell. Gabby had been feeling very guilty lately for ever sending Ed off to find one because now Edward was dead set on finding it. Jet turned to wave back but was abruptly jerked back by a determined thirteen year old.  
  
As Gabby turned back around to walk down the street she could faintly hear Edward harassing Jet.  
  
"Jet-person can wave to Gabby-wabby later! Edward must find her perfect seashell-bell!"  
  
Gabby laughed and trotted to catch up to Ein, who was tugging on the leash. They only had two days left before they went home, and Gabby desperately hoped that by some miracle Edward would find a shell, ANY shell. She knew Ed would be ecstatic if she found a clam.  
  
They hadn't done a lot of sight seeing, sue to the fact that every time they went out, Jet would get stopped every five seconds to be greeted by some old friend. At first it was nice, knowing that Jet was liked by so many, but by the third day, she was getting annoyed. They had come on a vacation to have fun and relax! Not to be assaulted by 'old friends'.   
  
She sighed as she waved to a person who she had met the other day. She couldn't remember his name; there had been seventeen people before and after him. It wasn't that she didn't like meeting people, or that she didn't want Jet to see old friends. It was just that too much was too much. She let Ein lead the way, and where they went she couldn't particularly care.  
  
Suddenly, Ein jerked his leash out of Gabby's hand and ran down the street, pivoting down an alley way about ten yards away.   
  
She sighed as she jogged down the street after him in her sandals.   
  
Finally coming to the alley, she stuck her head around the corner, looking her Ein.  
  
"Ein…? Ein, where are you?"  
  
She heard a trashcan rumble against the pavement in the dark place at the end of the alley.  
  
"Ah hah. Got you now...."  
  
She walked down the alley and found Ein snuffling in some garbage.  
  
"Yuck, Ein. I thought you were supposed to be super-smart doggy. Oh well. Come along, let's continue."  
  
She bent down to pick up the leash, brushing some old papers out of Ein's coat as she did do. Turning around she walked back down the alley, only to be hit in the face by an outwardly swinging door.  
  
"Ow-oof!"  
  
She fell backwards sharply, crashing into some conveniently placed trashcans. She landed on her butt, jerking Ein's leash with her, which was now tightly wound around her fingers. She could hear him yelp as he landed next to her.  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"  
  
The soft voice froze her as her brain clicked into recognition. Oh no, Gabby thought. Of all the alleyways and all the trashcans Ein had to eat out of, it had to be hers.  
  
She stood up stiffly, brushing herself off and picking bits of rubbish out of her hair. She was careful not to look up into Alisa's face, her own turning a bright tomato red.  
  
"Um, I'm fine, really. I should be more careful. I'm sorry, I think I've knocked your trash cans over."  
  
Alisa laughed as Gabby nearly fell again in trying to right the cans.   
  
"Don't worry about it! I'll fix them later."  
  
Gabby straightened, still careful not to raise her head to an angle that would allow her to see Alisa's face.  
  
"Eh hem. Well, I must be going. My apologies again."  
  
She spun around and walked quickly towards the mouth of the alley. The voice stopped her as she grimaced.  
  
"Excuse me! Aren't you the woman that Jet was with?"  
  
I almost made it! Gabby opened her eyes and forced a smile, turning around to meet Alisa strolling towards her.   
  
"Um, yes. Alisa, right?"  
  
Alisa smiled upon reaching Gabby.  
  
"Uh huh! I'm sorry, we didn't really get acquainted the other day, Gabby was it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
There was an awkward silence between the two.   
  
How old is this girl? Alisa thought. Are she and Jet...? Well, obviously. Poor girl, she must be embarrassed.  
  
Please, dear lord, let me go, now, Gabby was praying miserably. This is very humiliating, and-  
  
Her thoughts were cut off my Alisa clearing her throat.  
  
"You're traveling with Jet, right? You two are...um..."  
  
Gabby's face went redder than she had ever thought possible. Her body was constantly finding new ways to exceed their known limitations.  
  
"Y-yes."  
  
Alisa smiled.  
  
"So, I guess Jet told you about me then. Before or after you came to La Fin?"  
  
Gabby looked up into Alisa's face, wishing she could grow a quarter of foot. She wanted to meet this woman face to face.  
  
"Oh, h-he told me a, a while ago. A-around when hen we first m-met."  
  
Alisa's eyebrows went up.  
  
"Really... Well, then I guess you know everything then...."  
  
Gabby rubbed the back of her neck, looking down at Ein.  
  
"Yep."  
  
There was another awkward silence.   
  
"Jet's a good guy."  
  
Gabby looked at Alisa again. Alisa was staring down at Gabby, waiting for her to say something.  
  
"Why..." she paused, debating whether or not to go with her next thought. I have to know, she thought.  
  
"Why did you leave Jet?"  
  
Alisa sighed tiredly and sat lightly on a trash can, sighing.  
  
"It's complicated..."  
  
She trailed off, lost in thought. Gabby politely coughed to bring her back down to Ganymede.  
  
Alisa sighed again. Oh, just spit it out, Gabby thought, suddenly cross. She was getting tired of standing around, and this whole encounter was fraying her nerves.   
  
"Well, hm, I'll try to make this short. When I was with Jet, he, he, did everything for me. A real take charge guy. A perfect example of chivalry and a gentleman."  
  
Gabby shifted her weight. And…?   
  
"But the problem was that I needed to go and do my own thing, you know? Be an independent woman!"  
  
Gabby raised an eyebrow. This woman is crazy. Was I ever jealous of her? She had everything! What the heck is she complaining about?   
  
Alisa looked at Gabby for an absent understanding.  
  
"So, the only way to achieve complete self-dependence was to...leave Jet."  
  
Gabby tried to speed things up.  
  
"So, you left him to be independent and you opened a bar and lived happily ever after."  
  
Alisa gave Gabby a questioning look as Gabby felt her face go red.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry, you've just got to understand this is just a little stressful for me."  
  
"Oh! Of course! But, you wanted to know..."  
  
"Yes, I know. And I found out what I wanted to know."  
  
Alisa smiled.  
  
"I hope we can be friends. We both care very much for Jet, you see..."  
  
Gabby eyed her suspiciously as Alisa hastily explained herself.  
  
"I mean, in two totally different ways, of course."  
  
Gabby bit her lip, smiling. Alisa didn't seem as intimidating.  
  
"I'd like that."  
  
Alisa stood up, letting a small grin play across her face.  
  
"I bet there's a lot of things you don't know about Jet."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Do you know his middle name?"  
  
"No. What is it?"  
  
"Leslie."  
  
"Leslie?"  
  
  
a/n: Hiya peoples! Thanks for all the reviews! RySenkari, you are so nice! And I can't wait for you to get those other stories out! And though I HIGHLY doubt I'll ever get as many reviews as you (unless you are single handedly willing to contribute 70 reviews) thanks for the compliment. Yah! I can't wait until Christmas! Only 60 days! And 66 days till my birthday! Ahhh! I can't wait! I am now (in addition to my quest for the perfect font, Ashley) on a quest for stickers to put on it! So far I have some pretty sparkly fairy ones and some coolio starry ones. Can't wait!! And yah, FF.net should have some kind of message board thingy. I guess they had an IM, but I had never heard of it until Anywho, thankies sooo much, you are very cool! You are cooler than a penguin on Christmas in Alaska! Muuaah! You get a big kiss and a hug cause I love you so much. By the by, what does 'huggles' mean? It sounds like a mix between a hug and a snuggle. I like it!   
  
Cambridge-happy now? See, I DO listen to you, and I was thinking about what you said about Spike fighting the stuff for Faye with everything he has, and I know you're right, but it's too late to change it now! So, thank you for the constructive criticism, I really do appreciate it, but can you lighten up? You sound like you need a hug. And of I think you need to realize that I'm not perfect! I'm_a_13_year_old_girl. (I'm not making fun of you, I like how you did the underscore thingys to make your words stand out) If I was a perfect writer, I would NOT be at home, writing fanfiction, and the highlight of my day would not be, "Okay, what is this, what pet made it, and what cleaning product do I have to break out?" No. (say it like this: Nno. Real quick, and only 2 n's!) I would have won my Newberry, published my autobiography, and the biggest decision in my day would be, "What shade of chocolate would I like my strawberries dipped in?" And OF COURSE I am going to be embarrased. I knew that! But I do want you so keep reviewing, I DO listen to them and I really do try to do better! But, seriously now, you be nice, 'criticize' me like you would your best buddy, and I'll do my best to make you proud, okies??   
  
Mr Butterfly, why don't you want to be called that? It's a pretty name? What would you rather have me call you? Mr Rainbow? How about Mr Rainbow Trout? That would be cool. Hmm, you probably don't like that much better huh? How about, Mr McGregor, like Farmer McGregor in peter rabbit! (I think that was his name...) Hm, I have the feeling you don't like that either. How about Number Two, like in Austin Powers? ALEX DON'T LOOK Well, whatever, you better get Cowgirl something nice! How about a coupon for a week free of concussions? I bet she'd like that! You're cooking!? Cool! You shouldn't get drunk and get in fights, she was probably crying because she was worried. You should think about her more often! *sigh* It's okay, we still love you. And you think women are hard to understand?? I think men are confusing! And what's with cars?? Every single guy I know is obsessed with cars. So explain THAT! Actually, I don't know why she didn't tell you why she was crying. That puzzles me. ALEX YOU CAN LOOK NOW I really want to talk to you guys! Sorry I wasn't on the other night when I said I would, but I waited until midnight and I fell asleep at the keyboard and my dad made me go to bed. So sorry! I love you guys!!!!  
  
Okies, I'll go post this and EMAIL NAMI! Nami! Sorry I didn't mention it in the last chapter, but your story-majorly cool! I can't wait for it! Big smooches for all of you (and big fat one for Cambridge who needs some love) ^.^  
  
ps: Cambridge honey buns, hm I'm guessing you're not the Cambridge who posted anonymously on chapter 3 that said my story was cute? Hmm? 


	8. CLAP!

"Yup, just a guy."  
  
Faye stared down at Miles, asleep on the expensive hotel mattress, snoring. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
What ever baffled me about him? She thought. But she knew the minute he opened his eyes she would be reminded.  
  
She almost laughed in surprise. The florescent street lamp outside shining on Miles's face made his hair seem   
almost.... green. Faye backed up, startled, and then shook her head.   
  
Don't think about them, Faye! She thought. Don't even color associate. Leave it be.  
  
Glancing at the clock next to the bed, she pulled on her clothes, adjusted her hair and left, shutting the door quietly   
so as not to wake Miles. She wanted to get this one by herself, just to see if she could do it.   
  
Her new outfit of black rustled as she walked down the hall and waited for an elevator. Her old attire of cheery yellow   
had been discarded once she took the job, but Faye didn't miss them all that much. Her new profession required a type of   
stealth that her previous bright garments would have never allowed.  
  
Once outside, she slipped on her sunglasses. The residents of upper-class Mars gave her strange looks as they   
passed her, taking their dogs for their late night walk. She didn't even notice. She had somewhere to go and something to do;   
there was no time to scare off old rich people. She had to hurry if she wanted to do this before Miles woke up and beat her to   
it.  
  
Faye looked down at the sheet of paper she pulled from her heavy handbag.  
  
SUITE 56, PLASMA HOTEL  
  
She cringed thinking about the snooty man who had handed her the paper after dinner the other day. Drunk, grabby,   
rich, hated by so many. Especially his wife, a girl younger than Faye, who wanted his money. Faye admired the woman, she   
knew what she wanted in life, and was willing to go to any measures to get it.  
  
She smiled at the young man in the elevator and told him her floor. She could feel his eyes going up and down her   
back. It was just as well; he would be quick to come to her defense if someone suspected her. Faye gave the man another   
smile as she walked out of the elevator and down the hall. She stopped in front of a door.  
  
SUITE 56  
  
This is it, she said to herself. Her hand rested on the doorknob. Faye took a deep breath. She hadn't done this   
before. She had always just lured the man (or woman) to a secluded spot, and let Miles do the dirty work. But, she really   
wanted to do it this time. She didn't want to have to depend on Miles.   
  
He still scared the shit out of her. His eyes, his hair, his body, his whole disposition. In short, the man freaked her   
out. The little voice in the back of her mind told her to get far away from him, as soon as possible.   
  
Faye noticed she was still standing there, her hand getting slippery from the cold sweat that was leaking from her   
hand.  
  
Chill, Faye! She told herself. This is nothing new to you, you've done this plenty of times! Why should now be any   
different? Go. Go now before you lose your nerve. Go NOW.  
  
She twisted the doorknob with a jerk and flung herself into the richly furnished room. Her food ticket was standing at   
a bar to the side, in a silk robe. The whole smelled like old man, whiskey, and strong cologne. She nearly choked; the stench   
was so hideous.  
  
The man turned, the soft light accentuating his deep wrinkles. He smiled, his tobacco-stained teeth protruding in all   
directions. Faye could barely keep her dinner in her stomach.   
  
"Ah, Miss Heartly, I knew you would come."  
  
Faye inwardly cringed at her lame alias. It was Miles's idea.   
  
"Why don't you make yourself comfor-"  
  
He stopped in midsentence. He stared down the barrel of Faye's gun, shaking.   
  
Maybe he'll die of a heart attack and I won't have to do anything, Faye thought.  
  
"P-please, I'm too important, I'll give you anything! M-my house, m-my cars, my e-estates, m-m-my m-money-"  
  
Faye stopped him short, pressing her gun harder against his skull, mostly to keep her own hands from shaking.  
  
"I'm getting your money for doing this, you old fart."  
  
His eyes went wide.  
  
Faye drew in her breath as she did her courage.  
  
CLAP!  
  
The silencer on her gun made the shot sound like a large wooden board falling on the floor.  
  
She watched in numb horror as the man slumped to the floor, blood spewing from his head. She stepped off to the   
bathroom to change into her other set of clothes, leaving the blood soaked ones on the floor. She threw her blond wig in the   
sink as she stepped out of the bathroom to the main one, where the man's body still lay.  
  
Carefully stepping over it, she left the suite, locking the door behind her. She calmly walked to the elevator again,   
repeating the ritual with the boy in the elevator.  
  
The minute she was outside, she walked down an alley. She leaned against the brick wall of the nearby building and   
took in deep breaths to steady herself. Suddenly she stood up, walking briskly out of the alley and down the street back to the   
hotel where Miles was.   
  
She didn't feel bad at all. Probably because she had done it so many times before. But this was the first time that   
she had gotten paid to do it. In fact...it almost felt good. The whole rush, the fright, the exhilaration. She knew now why Miles   
had always insisted on doing it. He just didn't want her to have any fun!  
  
Miles. Thank god she wouldn't need him for much longer. All she needed him for now was to get her name known.   
Then she could get away from him. Despite her recent murder, she felt relieved. Soon she would be completely on her own.   
And that was exactly what she wanted.   
  
Faye opened to door to her and Miles's room, only to be faced with Mile's black eyes glaring at her in intense rage.   
He was half dressed, his undone tie swinging from around his neck.   
  
She stepped back, frightened.  
  
He grabbed her shirt, yanking her into the room and slamming the door.  
  
"Don't you EVER do that again."  
  
Faye looked at him in fear, hoping to look innocent as she defended herself.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"That. I know what you did, so don't try to fool me. The police are all the case. Now get your things and let's get out   
of here."  
  
Faye continued to look at him.  
  
"NOW!"  
  
Faye got her things and stuffed them into her suitcase hastily.   
  
Two minutes later, they were downstairs, Miles paying and dragging her out onto the street and hailing a taxi, his arm   
tightly around her shoulders the whole time.   
  
Faye sat quietly in the back of the taxi, flinching as Miles's grip became tighter. He leaned down and mumbled   
threateningly in her ear.  
  
"Once we get away from here, you're in big trouble."  
  
Faye froze. Somehow Miles's word terrified her on a level that Jet's identical ones hadn't even come close to.  
  
  
a/n: Hiya!!! 56 reviews, woo hoo! I love you guys, you know that, right?   
  
Cambridge, lovey duck! (See? I told you Blooknaburg, all Cambridge needed was some love!) You thought I was older? Heh,   
that's funny! Most people I know think I'm immature! So, I'm curious, how old EXACTLY did you think I was? Really, I'd like to   
know. And really, pumpkin pie, I didn't mean for you to lighten the load, just be nicer about it. Because if you see something   
wrong and you're like, "Oh, she's young, I'll let it go..." I'll never get better! I really don't like sucking at things, and I'm counting   
on you to help make me better!! And Spike gets girls thrown at him everyday, plus Faye AND Julia, so why would I ever do   
that? Jet, on the other hand....he needs some love. JUST LIKE YOU! ^.^ And evil popcorn? Never. Never ever. Popcorn is   
wonderful, fluffy, white, almost like clouds or chunky snowflakes! Then again, it would be a good cover up to do their evil   
deeds.... No one would ever suspect....hmmm. But a world without pickles? HALLAUAH! Nasty icky pickles..... Oh, and one   
more thing, you said my first chapter was something? That means it's good, I know that. But does that mean that the other   
ones suck? ......Lets just call it a compliment and leave it at that.  
  
RY! Honey! I was waiting for someone to guess my birthday! ^.^ Yep, I was almost a New Years baby, (52 days till Christmas   
and 59 days till my birthday!) but oh well. And no! Not less presents, more! Or at least it seems that way.....I get MAD   
amounts of presents on Christmas, because I get to open my early birthday presents then. I don't mean to brag, but I get the   
BEST presents ^.^ Last year, I had this little rinky-dink bulletin board that I put all the pictures of my friends and family and   
cards and playbills and other stuff on it. So come Christmas day, I find this HUGE bulletin board- that my dad made for me!!   
And then there was the time my uncle made me those personalized book ends, and the time when I got a Nintendo, AND a   
game boy, when I didn't ask for either of them, and when I got my kitty, and the BEST time when I got a $100 gift certificate to   
Barnes and Nobles. That was awesome. Oh and huggles? Football players? Eeeew. I think I'll stick to snuggles ^.^ This is   
getting really long, so I'll wrap this up. Remember, you're cooler to me than an ice cube in the middle of summer!  
  
Cowgirl and Blooknaburg! My FAVORITE peoples in the whole wide world! Cowgirl, hurry up and write the first chapter of our   
story! I hope you and Mr. Butterfly are doing okay, tell him I said HI!!! I'll go talk to you for real now, in THE SUITE!! And   
remember: I LOVE YOU!!! Blooknaburg! Yes, no one takes Ein for a walk, so he needed to stretch those stubby little legs of   
his! And, Gabbyalyabbalabalie, that's a new one..... See ya later!  
  
As for everybody else, THANK YOU! Especially sugar bliss, aww shucks, ya think so? Thank you so much, you are very very   
nice :) And Faye's Emerald Eyes, thank GOD I'm not the only one! And ya know what, caffeine usually has an opposite effect   
on me, it's so weird. I found out this one time when I was sharing a room with my brother, and I had like 3 cans of regular coke   
and dr. pepper and I was OUT at 10:00 and I hadn't done anything all day. My brother on the other hand, had only had one can   
of coke and was literally BOUNCING off the walls. HE didn't get to bed until 4 in the morning. But Vanilla Coke gets me like,   
BOING! But I love it so much! Soooo...BIG SMOOCHES!! ^.^ 


	9. Sun Block

Spike pressed against the door to the hangar, his ear against the cold metal. This was about the hundredth time he had done it today, and the trillionth time that week, if anyone was counting. He walked along the rotating hallway to keep up with the door, and almost jumped as he heard a voice.  
  
" 'Oh, I don't get sunburned!' "  
  
That's Gabby! Spike thought. He heard her giggle echo against the walls.   
  
"I don't..." He heard Jet grumble.  
  
"Sun burn! Icky germs!-"  
  
Spike stepped back as Ed bounded through the door, clutching a bag, Ein dancing at her heels.  
  
"Gotta learn! Hellooooo Spike-Person!"  
  
Spike stared at Edwards for a second. She was MUCH browner and her hair seemed to have lightened a shade. Ein's too. He poked his head through the door and saw a VERY red and peeling Jet, lugging baggage up the steps. Even his bald spot seemed to have gotten burned. He could see Gabby behind him, still giggling. She didn't look any different, save a few sun freckles.  
  
"Famous last words..." she muttered, smiling "You should have used the sun block!"  
  
"But I never...Spike?"  
  
Jet stopped short, staring at Spike. Spike had gotten over his shock and was letting the pent up anger and extreme anticipation boil over.   
  
"Where the hell have you guys been!?"  
  
Jet blinked in surprise, repositioning his suitcases.  
  
"We went to Ganymede. I thought I left you a note...coulda swore I left it on the..."  
  
"Jet." Spike paused, staring hard at Jet. "She's gone."  
  
"Well, Spike, she's been gone. I'm surprised she hasn't come back yet. Maybe we should go look for her..."  
  
"No, she's GONE Jet. She left. She's not coming back. Ever."  
  
Jet stopped fidgeting with his bags and returned Spike's stare with his own dumbfounded one.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Gabby poked her head around Jet.  
  
"Gone? Oh really Spike, you shouldn't worry so much. I'm sure she's just fine; probably at the races on Mars, betting away all her mo-"  
  
Spike ignored Gabby and went on speaking to Jet.  
  
"She left. I saw her. She told me herself that she's not coming back. Took a bag and everything."  
  
The three stood in silence while Jet and Gabby let the news sink in.  
  
"She, ah...-cough-...didn't take any money this time did she?"  
  
"No. I asked her."  
  
More quiet drifted through the hatch while Gabby thought of something.  
  
"Why didn't you stop her?"  
  
Jet looked up at Spike, suddenly wondering the same thing.  
  
"Yeah, Spike, why didn't you?"  
  
Spike held a blank look on his face for a minute as the other two stared at him quizzically. Finally he spoke, slowly.  
  
"I...I don't know."  
  
Gabby smiled sadly and shook her head as Jet hung his head in exasperation.  
  
"Really Spike, I don't know what we're going to do with you. I hope you didn't make a large mess-  
  
Spike's stomach growled, interrupting Gabby's scolding.  
  
"Oh Spike! What have you eaten all week? Lord knows you can't cook... I'll make you something right away! You poor dear! What would you like? Chicken? Beef? Vegetarian? Oh my, you're probably too hungry to decide for yourself- I'll go cook up something very filling...."   
  
Spike looked after Gabby as she scurried herself out of the hatch and down the hall, her words fading with every step. He looked at Jet with perplexity.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
Jet shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I have no idea. I don't think she had a good time with the traveling. And you know how she is with cooking."  
  
"Uh-huh...."  
  
"Hey, can you give me a hand? These bags are really heavy-"  
  
"Jet we gotta get her back."  
  
Jet juggled the bags as he stayed quiet, letting Spike continue.  
  
"She has to come back, she just has to."  
  
"Does she owe you money or something?"  
  
"No."  
  
"...Then why? I didn't know you were so fond of Faye."  
  
Spike grinned sadly at Jet.  
  
"I love her"  
  
Jet nearly dropped all his bags.   
  
"You what?"  
  
"I know, I know what you're gonna say, but just keep it to your self. It's true. I tried to go look for her but...she wasn't in any of her 'usual' spots."  
  
".... So you love her, eh?"  
  
Jet grinned at Spike as Spike's cheeks started to turn a deep red.  
  
"Yeah, so what? Now come on, we don't have much time before her trail goes cold."  
  
Jet waved his bags clumsily at Spike and bent down to rearrange them.  
  
"Well go right ahead! I have to put these away, so its all yours, Spike. Spike?"  
  
Jet looked up only to find empty space where Spike had been standing. He chuckled to himself as he tried out of the hangar, with very little success.  
  
Spike trotted down the hall of the Bebop to the living area, where he knew Edward would be. He found her typing madly, her goggles nearly flying off her eyes as she updated everything that had been idle for the past week. He hesitated for a minute, unsure of whether or not to disrupt the creature in her furious activity.  
  
"Um, Ed?"  
  
"Yes yes yes yes yes Spike-person, what do you need, Edward is very busy right now."  
  
"I need you to find Faye. She left."  
  
Ed ceased her typing and spun around to face Spike. Ein's ears perked up nearby.  
  
"Faye-Faye? Where did Faye-Faye go? Why did she leave? Is Faye-Faye okay? Why didn't she tell Edward she was going? Why, Spike-Person?"  
  
Ed faced Spike with wide eyes, expecting an explanation as to why her idol was gone from the premises. Spike scratched his head, uncertain as to how to handle Edward's Spanish inquisition.  
  
"Well, ah, Eeed, I, ah, actually have no idea, that's why I need your help. Don't you want to find Faye-Faye?"  
  
Spike cringed at saying Ed's pet name for Faye. Ed grinned widely and spun back around to her tomato as she started to type. Shapes popped up on the screen and drifted lazily around and Ed wiggled and made noises, persuading the hardware to bend to her will.  
  
Is she really working on that thing? Spike wondered as he leaned forward, studying the screen as the different shapes and colors snapped in and out of focus, finally exploding into a list of names that scrolled down faster than spike could read them. Ed muttered to herself.  
  
"Heartly, Heartly, Heartly, Honey, Honey, Honey...February? FAYE-FAYE!"  
  
Spike jumped as Edward screamed. The screen skidded to a halt as Ed smiled happily, drawing a virtual pink flower around the name in the middle of the page.  
  
"We fooooouuuuund yyyoooouu!"  
  
Spike leaned in further and stared at the name Ed was decorating.  
  
'Valentine, Faye'  
  
Spike was breathless. It was this easy? He could feel his eyebrow getting the mad urge to twitch. He looked down at Ed, who had finished drawing her flower and was smiling happily at Spike. She pointed to the information that followed Faye's name, her finger wiggling with excitement under 'Mars'.  
  
"Well Spike-Person? Go get Faye-Faye!!"  
  
Spike nodded numbly and ran off to the hangar, hopping into his ship and speeding off, cursing himself every minute of the way for the simplicity of Ed's method and why he hadn't thought of it before.   
  
A/N: Hiya guys!!! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, not that you've probably noticed, but that's okay ^.^ {cept for you Ashley..I updated!! Happy? Now get yours up!!!} nah, Im just kidding, you guys love me, right?........Right? Anywho, it's just that I've just been 1) not motivated (ug) 2)and 2) I'm reeeeeaaalllyyy lazy (and no, you're not, Ashley, so be quiet). And sorry the chapter was so short. Can you believe it took me 3 weeks to write it? Heehee. CAMBRIDGE HONEY BUNNY WHY DIDN'T YOU REVIEW??? DID THE EVIL POPCORN GET YOU???   
  
RySenkari- You know what? You're always the first person to review my new chapters! That's so weird. Anywho, YAH!! I abosolutely ADORE your writing!!! I don't know how many times I have to tell you, but you are just the COOLEST!!! Heeheehee and I know SOMEONE who has a crush on youuuu (sorry!! I'll stop teasing you now, okay??) but it's too bad because THEY can't have you. You're mind, ya hear!?!? Anyways, You thought I was 16 or 17?? Wowowowies!! You play chess?? Coolies!! I used to play it everyday, but that was in 5th grade, so I haven't played it in a while. It's a cool game, but in my opinion it takes WAAAAY too much strategy, and that is most definitely my weak spot. Yesyesyesyes more presents for me ^.^ heehee, I can't wait only....31 days until Christmas and 37 days until my birthday!!!!! I know, you're probably counting down the days with me until I shut up about it, but I'm soooo excited!!! I helped my art teacher clean out her closet (she has a reeeeaalllly big closet) and she gave me a whole bunch of cool art stuff, and in it was these WICKED cool stickers that said things like Bubble Yum and Carefree on them. She said she got them from someone-or-other, but I can't wait until I can stick them on my NEW LAPTOP!! Oki oki oki, this is getting really long so I'll just put in one more thing, that you have forever ruined huggles for me, so form now on just stick to snuggles, oki? And email me sometime!! Blooknaburg says you email her!! I WANT SOME MAIL!!!   
  
Sir Ed- What's borders? Is that the same thing as Barnes and Noble? Heehee, I actually didn't even know there was magna in bookstores until this summer, I've never gotten them ^.^   
  
Cowgirl- ALEX! ALEX ALEX BO BALEX BANANA FANA FO FALEX! ME MI MO MALEX!!! ALEX!!! Hiya sweet cakes, whats up? You're never on anymore!! And we haven't had the suite at ALL this week!! What's up with that??? Hmhmhm?? And where's T dood to play my Andy rabbit??? Huh?? Ahhh the rabbits...heehee. Anywho, I'll talk to you later, and don't EVER forget: I LOVE YOU!! And Mr. BUTTERFLY too (see, I spelled it right!!) And Blooknaburg....you didn't review..hmmmm....  
  
Faye Bebop: Okay, first of all, thanks for the review, I really aprreciate it honey, but I noticed you're 11. And then I read your review. Eh hem. 11 YEAR OLDS SHOULD NOT BE USING SUCH LANGUAGE. Hel-lo. I know you probably think you're wicked cool, and all that stuff, but please, wait a couple of years and you'll see how cool you'll think 11 year olds swearing is. Oh great, you're probably mad at me now. But seriously hon, I'm not kidding about this...  
  
Well, that's all for now, I'll try to write faster now, but don't get your hopes up, I'm not feeling too hot on this story right now. I have no idea why. But anywho... BIG SMOOCHES!!! 


	10. Where To?

Faye slumped to the floor, her back against the wall of the hotel room. Her hair clung to the wallpaper with static as she brought her knees to her forehead. I will NOT cry I will NOT cry I will NOT cry, she thought. Wet tears matted her eyelashes together as she took deep breaths. Slowly, she raised her eyes slighty so as to look at her tormentor with a mix of fury and terror. She shivered as Miles smirked at her figure.  
  
"Pathetic..." he mumbled, shaking his head. A stray coal black strand of hair flew into his equally intense eyes. "Maybe this will teach you not to do things without my consent now, eh?"  
  
Faye's eye narrowed at her fury rose. Who the hell did he think he was? She thought. Give me my gun and redtail and I'll show HIM who's pathetic. She stood up, trembling and looked him straight in the eye; not flinching once as the twin onyx orbs returned her gaze in infuriating amusement.   
  
"I can do whatever the hell I want, and I don't need your permission to do so either, you-"  
  
SMACK  
  
Faye turned her head away from Miles, biting her lip. The stinging of the slap lingered on her cheek as she felt Miles' fingertips stroked her face.   
  
"Now see what you made me do? Aww," he grinned nastily, "that will leave a mark."  
  
Faye's fury bubble burst. She ripped her head out of his grasp and took a step towards him. She leaned hear head up towards his and narrowed her eyes.  
  
"That's IT."  
  
She raised her fist, and let it fly in a straight path to Mile's face when he caught her by her wrist.  
  
"Careful now, Miss Valentine," he murmured dangerously, his eyes flashing. "You wouldn't want to get that pretty face of yours marred now would you?"  
  
Faye twisted out of Miles' grip as she seethed with anger.  
  
"Ahhrg!" She exclaimed, stomping off into the bathroom. She splashed her face with water and closed her eyes, taking more deep breaths. She needed to calm down. Getting angry was only making things go Mile's way. She leaned her forehead against the mirror, letting a pale arm rest over it.   
  
Faye looked deep into the eyes of her reflection. What happened, gorgeous? She asked herself. There were dark circles under her eyes and bruises on her cheeks and chin. There was a large hand-shaped red print on her cheek. She stroked her other bruises gingerly, wincing as they stung. Faye stared into her eyes again. Their usual verdant glow was dimmed and bloodshot. Where did the dangerously beautiful femme fatale of the Bebop crew go? Faye cringed inwardly. All of this just to prove a point? Why did I ever leave them? Suddenly her original vengeance hit her like a piano and she stood up straight, looking down her nose at her reflection. They don't need me, she thought. And I WILL stand all of this. I am strong and I will prove it.   
  
She snorted at her haughty mirror image. And Miles is just a guy. No different from the rest. She frowned deeply. Miles... No matter how strong she was; staying with Miles wasn't going to prove anything. Faye shook her head. No, Miles was just another man who she had used to get something for herself. Yes. That was it. That was exactly the case. She would not let herself thing anything otherwise. Faye reached for her make up bag, conviently placed on the counter and started to cover up the bruises and marks, and her eyes looked halfway decent with enough eye liner. She smiled. Mascara really IS a girl's best friend.   
  
Now... to get out of this hell hole, Faye thought. That was the first step. After that she would figure out what exactly she was going to do. She gathered her bag of cosmetics and walked calmly out of the bathroom. Miles lay on the bed, staring boredly out the window. He let his gaze sweep to Faye as she bounced down on the bed in front of the wardrobe, her open suit case beside her. Filled with anger, Faye jerked open the drawers and started flinging her clothes into her luggage.  
  
Miles let out a small amused smile as he saw her trying her hardest not to look over to him. He ran his fingers though his hair and cocked his head.  
  
"Now where do you think YOU'RE going, Miss Valentine? Not being very fastidious with the getaway are we?"  
  
Faye tore her intent gaze from her determined chore and looked at him.  
  
Miles raised a cocky eyebrow.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Faye popped up and slammed her suit case shut with a loud bang, not taking her eyes off Miles. She stared at him for an eternity, just for effect, and finally opened her mouth.  
  
"I'm leaving. Have fun without me."  
  
Miles smirked.  
  
"No you're not," he scoffed.  
  
Faye raised an eye brow smugly and smiled.  
  
"Watch me," she challenged.  
  
Miles sat up.  
  
"You wouldn't! You would NEVER make it out there. Not without me anyways... You'll be back! I just know it!"  
  
Faye walked calmly to the door, careful not to look back. Suddenly she turned on her heel and held her palm out to Miles.  
  
"Back so soon?" He jeered.  
  
Faye looked at Miles as a sixteen year old girl would to a child who had made a bathroom joke.  
  
"Where's my Redtail?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Yes you do! Where is it?"  
  
Miles smiled at her, his obsidian eyes sparking in evilness.  
  
"If you can survive without me, you'll live without your Redtail. Don't you agree?"  
  
Faye just shook her head.   
  
"Fine. Whatever. Good bye, Miles."  
  
With that she spun around again and strode to the door.  
  
"Good bye, Miss Valentine. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again."  
  
Faye paused for a minute at the door at his words, then walked out, never looking back. She strolled down the hallway and down the elevator to the street outside. As she rode away in a cab, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over her. But no matter how immense the relief, she couldn't shake of a sense of foreboding that Mile's ominous words had given her. She snapped out of her daze as the cab driver cocked his head to her.  
  
"Where to, little lady?" He grunted.  
  
"Uh... the, uh, warehouse on Briarwood Ave... please."  
  
The cabbie, keeping his eyes on the road, cocked his head again inquisitively.  
  
"Why do you wanna go there, miss? Lots of underground shit happens there all the time."  
  
Faye smiled. The warehouse was the first place Miles had taken her to get a job. All the powers that be had staked it out as their head quarters.   
  
"Ooh... Let's just say I have my reasons," she said coyly, catching the cab driver's eye in the window and giving him a wink.  
  
The cabbie grunted and continued driving.  
  
As they arrived at the old warehouse, Faye paid the cabbie (with a generous tip, just to show off her wealth) and stood in front of the head quarters. She took a deep breath. Well, she thought. If I can't get a start here I won't make it anywhere.  
  
With that, she stood up straight and strolled confidently into the building.   
  
  
  
a/n: @.@ Ai yai yai! Look guys I'm sooooooooooooooooo sorry about the long time I took to update... I'm just a lazy butt is all ^.^ I'll REALLY try to get things on the ball from now on, oki? Hee, I LOVE you guys!! (Especially you, my Ry Honey!! *hugs and kisses* I love you you you!) 80 reviews... WOW!!! Scuse me for a minute whilst I go fall off my chair again, okay?............ Okay, all better now!!  
  
Mr Butterfly, Alex Alex Bo Balex Banana Fana Fo Falex, Mee Mi Mo Malex, and Alex: I miss you guys!!! We haven't seen each other in sooo long and we haven't had the suite in FOREVER!! How's little Obi bug?? Tell him he'd better not run off! And don't forget: I LOVE YOU GUYS!! AND OBI BUG!!!  
  
Kenta Divina: Hee, thanks for coming back! And Ed is the BEST!!  
  
Ry Honey Honey!!!! I love you sweetie!! Yikes...so much has happened since you last reviewed so I don't even know what to put here....Uhm, is I love you enough?  
  
dylchan: Uhm, Miles knows Faye's last name because she introduces herself as Faye Valentine...right? I'm glad you like it so much ^.^ By the by, what's dyl stand for?  
  
Miss DemonGurl: Oooh, so you listened to Faye Faye and changed your name, eh? Heehee! I hope you're doing better with the swearing! I have some WONDERFUL alternatives for you! Use "son of a fish!", or "son of a butcher" instead of like, you know the other words.. Also, you can use fish for the bi- word, the f word AND the s word! Cool huh? Shmigoly and dganabit are wondful alternatives for the d word!   
  
Cambride: Oki, note to self, Make Spike more Spikey. Got it! Heehee! Cambridge my honey bunny, my little OC is worming her way into your heart, ne? Hee! ^.^ That makes me so happy!!  
  
Blooknaburg: I UPDATED! HAPPY? Can you stop cracking the ship now?? Please??? I wuv ya Ashykins!! Thanks for getting me motivated!!  
  
Nami: u.u Yikes...I forgot to email you.. AGAIN! I'm so sorry! I'ma email you RIGHT AWAY!!   
  
Sir Ed: YAYAYAYAYAAA!!   
  
Thuy: Hey, what does that stand for anyways? Hee, I officially knight you my first rabid reviewer! Your name will go down in history! Heehee! I'll email you right after I EMAIL NAMI, oki?? ^.^ Glad you like it so much!!!  
  
Miss Bitchy: Yay! You're my 80th reviewer!! Thanks!! Ah yes, 80 reviews was a big reason to write this up, but the HUGEST was my dearest bud Blooknaburg acting like Miss Dominatrix over here... Hee!!  
  
Oki, must post this and email!! Thanks soooo much for reviewing! 80 reviews...*whistles* WOW!! ^.^ Big smooches!!!! 


	11. Unwelcome Savior

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, new author's note, actually. ^_^ About 5 or 6 months ago, NessacusGirl wrote chapter 10 of this story... and suddenly stopped. Well, being the good friend that I am (I won't go into the entire history with her and I, but we're still really close friends! ^_^), I offered to finish up the last few chapters of the story. So, here's the first new chapter of Come Back in a long, long time, written with the permission and blessing of the original author, NessacusGirl (who is an excellent author in her own right!) I'm her fellow FF.net author RySenkari (Author of: The Funny/Funnier Sessions... ring any bells? ^_^) and I'll be writing the rest of this story, so... enjoy! My style is different than NessacusGirl's, so this chapter may look different from the other chapters. You should notice the changes about as much as you noticed that the VAs on Dragonball Z changed after the second season. It's not that big of a change, really. ^_^  
  
---  
  
(Chapter 11: Unwelcome Savior)  
  
"Zelias Teraski."  
  
"Say who again?"  
  
Faye had been pestering the first person she saw, a tall, well-dressed, balding man in a neatly pressed red tuxedo for a job for the last ten minutes. She was frustrated that she had had to beg and plead for a job, something that she hadn't had to do when she was with Miles. But she had already resolved that she wouldn't go back. She couldn't go back, she had to be independent. Evidently, this cueball didn't care. Or maybe he just didn't want to give a dangerous job to a beautiful young woman like Faye.  
  
"If you want to do somebody that bad, this is your guy," the man said, handing Faye a small photo of a man with long, scraggly brown hair and a large scar just below his eye. "His name is Zelias Teraski, and he's been dealing in nuclear weapons material for quite some time. He stumbled upon a good deal of high-grade uranium a while back for a bargain price, and he hasn't been selling yet. So I want you to take him out and get the uranium for me."  
  
"I see," Faye said, smiling. "How much is it worth to you?"  
  
The man smiled.  
  
"A homicidal babe like you would probably do it for free," the man joked. "You seemed awfully ready to kill someone today."  
  
"Don't screw with me," Faye growled angrily. "You want me to kill this guy, or not?"  
  
"Sixty million," the man said. "No more, no less."  
  
Faye smiled. She hadn't had a job like that... well, ever. Any time they did get that big, Miles took all the money.  
  
"I'll take it," Faye said. "You'll have your uranium in no time."  
  
"It's been a pleasure," the man said, smiling and showing his shiny teeth. "And don't get yourself killed."  
  
"You're the one that's gonna get killed, acting like a damn jerk..." Faye thought angrily as she strode out of the building. "Making me beg like that... I'll just take it out on Zelias. Pretend he's Miles. Or that lunkhead Spike."  
  
Faye frowned.  
  
"I wonder what he's up to..."  
  
Faye shook her head. She had a job to do. She took out her gun and made sure it was loaded, then pulled out the picture of Zelias that she had been given and looked on the back.  
  
"2521 Grant St..." Faye thought. "That's over by the pier. Not too far, but I think I'll take a cab..."  
  
---  
  
Onboard the Bebop, Gabby had been fixing dessert for the last thirty minutes so that Edward would stop pestering her. Edward hadn't blatantly pestered her, of course. Ever since Spike had left a couple of hours ago, she had... gently hinted to Gabby that she was hungry.  
  
"I hope this will be okay," Gabby said to herself, stirring about half of a bag of chocolate chips into a large, metal bowl. Jet walked into the kitchen to see how Gabby was doing.  
  
"Still haven't finished dessert?" Jet asked. "Ed's getting really restless."  
  
"I know, I know," Gabby breathed tiredly. "Jet, is this coming out okay?"  
  
"Looks like it needs a wee bit more powdered sugar," Jet said, looking into the bowl and peering into the mixture of cereal squares, melted chocolate, and powdered sugar. "You use too much chocolate and not enough sugar in puppy chow and it'll make you irregular."  
  
"Jet!" Gabby scolded. "I didn't need to hear that... besides, that was all the sugar we had. And Ed really likes chocolate."  
  
"I know, dear," Jet said, kissing Gabby lightly on the cheek. "You're doing a great job! I can't wait to have it when it's finished."  
  
"I'll make sure Ed doesn't eat it all, then," Gabby said, smiling and stirring the meal at the same time.  
  
"I wonder if Spike's gotten to Faye yet?" Jet asked, half to Gabby and half to himself. "And just what the heck Faye's doing on Mars."  
  
"Guess we'll find out when they come back, hmm?" Gabby replied.  
  
"You're sure they'll both come back together?" Jet asked.  
  
"Of course! Lovers always find each other... that's what you taught me, Jet," Gabby said, smiling sweetly. "I mean, you found me, didn't you?"  
  
"I guess I did!" Jet said. "But Spike and Faye aren't like you and I, Gabby... Spike's a little angrier and Faye's a little... well, she's a little more Faye."  
  
"They'll both come back," Gabby said. The timer on the oven dinged. "It's done!"  
  
Edward zoomed into the room with the speed of a roadrunner in a racecar. She ran up to Gabby and Jet and looked up at them with a big grin on her face.  
  
"Woof-woof! Is the puppy chow bow-wow meal done?" Edward asked. "Hmm is it?"  
  
"It sure is," Gabby said. "But don't eat it all, okay? I'm saving some for Jet!"  
  
"Oooooooooooooooh, okey-dokey!" Edward chimed. "Can Ed eat now?"  
  
---  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, you're gonna have to pop the trunk," said a space-suit uniformed officer floating next to Spike's Swordfish. "Random security check."  
  
"Damn, they check one out of every twenty people who comes through the gate, why does it have to be me? I'm in a hurry, dammit!" Spike thought.  
  
"Sure, open it up... I've got nothing to hide," Spike said, knowing that the only items in the cargo trunk were a few spare parts and a blaster.... would they get him for that? Of course they wouldn't.  
  
"Okay, everything checks out, sir," the officer said, closing the trunk. "Although that blaster's a bit suspect, a lot of people carry them, so it's nothing that we can really cite you for. Why are you in such a big hurry?"  
  
"Someone on Mars needs me," Spike told the officer. "Actually, I need her... wait, that's not what I-"  
  
"Woman trouble, eh?" the officer asked. "Eh, I got a girl back home too. I think I understand. Look, just take it easy, and, uh... don't shoot anyone with that blaster, got it?"  
  
Spike gave a nod of his head, then zoomed through the gate. The gate propelled Spike ever closer to the place he was headed... Mars.  
  
---  
  
"This is the place...."  
  
Faye stepped up to the entrance of 2521 Grant St., a small, wooden house that could probably be better described as a shack.  
  
"Even in Mars, the home of the rich, there are still dingy little places like this," Faye thought. "But why would a criminal mastermind like Zelias Teraski, or whoever he is, have a little place like this? Unless he just got lucky, like that cueball I talked to told me... ah well."  
  
In her left hand, Faye was holding a bouquet of red roses.  
  
"He's never met me, but no man can resist my charm," Faye thought to herself, rather haughtily. "Well, at the least, it'll get Mr. Teraski in the right position for me to put a bullet through his head. Sixty million wulongs..."  
  
Faye rang the doorbell. The door opened, revealing a tall, fairly muscular man who looked similar to the picture, right down to the scar on his face, which went from underneath his left eye to the side of his nose.  
  
"Wonder how he got that..."  
  
"Can I... help you?" Teraski asked. His eyes glanced down to the bouquet of roses in Faye's hand. "Well, well, well, what have we here?"  
  
"Just a friendly admirer," Faye said, smiling.  
  
"No, you're not," Teraski said. "Not in a million years. And you're not getting your hands on my uranium."  
  
"What do you mean?" Faye asked, rather startled. "He's found me out already? Well, maybe.... if I can say something..."  
  
"They've sent two here already to try to kill me. Basker's as dumb as he is bald," Teraski said.  
  
"Oh, screw it!" Faye said to herself. She pulled out her gun. But before she could pull the trigger, Teraski seized her by the wrist and squeezed as hard as he could. Faye screamed, but managed to keep her hand on the gun, dropping her flowers so that she could use her other hand to punch Teraski in the face. The large man staggered back, into the house, releasing Faye's wrist. Faye dashed into the house after him and fired her gun, missing entirely.  
  
"I knew it," Teraski said. He lunged forward and kicked the gun right out of Faye's hand. The gun skidded across the floor. Faye turned and ran toward it, but Teraski stuck his leg out, tripping Faye and causing her to fall to the floor with a loud "Oof!".  
  
"Dammit... I do need Miles..." Faye thought to herself. "I wonder what he would... no, I don't need him! I have to-"  
  
Teraski casually walked over and picked the gun up off of the ground. He smiled and walked over to Faye, who was still struggling to get up.  
  
"Now what to do with you..." Teraski said, smiling.  
  
---  
  
Meanwhile, Spike was flying toward Mars in his Swordfish at an incredible rate of speed.  
  
"There it is," Spike said, slowing down his ship and beginning his approach toward the Martian landscape. "Now, let's see... Edward said that Faye was in... that city right down there. Alright, Faye... here I come... I hope you're doing better than I've been..."  
  
---  
  
Teraski advanced on Faye, holding the gun and walking toward her. Faye, sweating profusely, slowly walked backwards, looking around for a way to escape.  
  
"What... to do... with you...." Teraski said, still trying to decide whether to rape Faye or just kill her outright. "I think I'll just dispose of you. Who knows what diseases you might have."  
  
Teraski smirked.  
  
"Damn you..." Faye said angrily, frantically trying to think of a way to stop the madman who was about to kill her. "I've got to rush him..."  
  
Teraski pointed his gun at Faye's head. With an angry scream, Faye rushed toward the man. Suddenly, a shot rang out through the room. Teraski let out an agonizing cry of pain and dropped the gun, a stream of blood gushing from his arm. Faye gasped when she saw who had saved her.  
  
"Miles?" Faye said in disbelief. Standing directly behind Teraski was Miles, holding a gun of his own and pointing it directly at Teraski.  
  
"Get away from her," Miles said casually. "I swear, I'll kill you."  
  
"Eraagh!" Teraski growled in rage, rushing at Miles and punching him squarely in the jaw. Miles staggered back, and Teraski launched a leaping kick upward, kicking Miles in the eye. Clutching his face in one hand and his gun in the other, Miles stumbled back toward the door, a stream of blood coming from the side of his mouth.  
  
"Is that all?" Miles asked. He pointed the gun at Teraski's chest. "Goodbye."  
  
Miles fired once, piercing Teraski's heart and killing him instantly. The man's lifeless body dropped to the floor. Miles turned toward Faye, who was standing next to the dead Teraski, staring at him in shock.  
  
"I knew we'd be seeing each other soon," Miles said, using his hand to wipe the blood away from his lip. "I was right. You do need me."  
  
"You bastard," Faye said, picking up her gun and starting toward the door. "Go to hell."  
  
"I just saved your life and this is how you thank me," Miles said. "I could have gotten my ass kicked."  
  
"Shut up," Faye said. She started out the door.  
  
"I don't think so," Miles said, lunging forward and seizing Faye by the wrist. "One way or another, you're coming with me."  
  
"NO!" Faye shouted. She pointed her gun at Miles' head. "Let go of me or you're dead!"  
  
"Try it," Miles said. "Go ahead, kill me. You won't do it."  
  
Faye pulled the trigger, but the only thing that accompanied it was a soft, clicking noise.  
  
"Wha?" Faye staggered in disbelief. "My gun! How-"  
  
"You don't need bullets anyway," Miles said. "I'm all you need."  
  
"Taking the cartridge out of that gun when I grabbed her and putting it in my pocket was so smart of me," Miles thought to himself. "She can't touch me now."  
  
"Get in the car," Miles said, pointing to his car which was waiting outside. "Now."  
  
Faye growled.  
  
"What can I do?" Faye thought. "He could... he could kill me! Oh, dammit, I'll get away from him later..."  
  
With a melancholy look on her face, Faye trudged out to the waiting car and climbed inside, followed by Miles, who was smirking, despite having a black eye and a busted lip. He nodded to the driver, who sped off toward the luxury hotel.  
  
"I should have stayed.... with the Bebop...."  
  
---  
  
Well, how was it? I don't know if I'm as good as Gabby.... I hope you enjoyed it too, Gabby! Feel free to edit whatever you like! 


	12. FUry

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Like last chapter, this one is by me, RySenkari. *waves* Hiya.

---

(Chapter 12: Fury)

Spike flew his Swordfish downward, descending upon the dark streets of the Martian cityscape. Although it was night, the lights that illuminated the streets made it seem nearly as bright as day. 

"Faye's somewhere in this city, and I'm going to find her," Spike said with extreme determination. "I have to tell her how I really feel!"

The small fighter cruised over a busy street, soaring above several lanes of traffic. 

"If only I knew who to ask...." Spike sighed. "Guess I'll just start asking people on the street.... this is gonna be one long night."

---

"Look at me, Faye."

"Just go, Miles...."

"LOOK AT ME!"

Back in the hotel suite, Miles had been berating Faye for the last fifteen minutes about 'bailing your sorry ass out' and 'this is gonna be a damn scar next month'. He seized Faye by both wrists and pulled her close so that she could get a better look at the damage Zelias had caused to him earlier.

"You didn't have to save me, you know," Faye said haughtily. "I can take care of my own damn self, and I don't need you!"

"Bitch!"

Miles slapped Faye hard across the face, sending her falling onto the queen-size bed behind her. He crawled on top of the bed and leaned over her.

"This...." Miles said, pointing to his blackened eye, "is your fault. You hear me?"  


With a cry of fury, Faye leapt up and shoved Miles off of her. He tumbled back, nearly stumbling into the wall. She leapt off of the bed and looked him in the eye, breathing heavily.

"You're the reason I stopped trusting men a long time ago," Faye growled. "People like you that use force and fear and deception to push people around. I'm not going to take it anymore! I'm leaving!"

With that, Faye stormed toward the door again.

"Wait," Miles said, much quieter than last time. "Faye, I... I'm sorry."

Faye turned around.

"Like hell you are," Faye said. "You don't mean that."

"Yes... yes I do, Faye...." Miles said. "I just realized that.... it's not you who needs me, it's me who needs you. Faye, please... please stay... give me another chance."

Faye stopped. Her angry expression began to change, into one of sadness, and sympathy. Did this guy really mean what he said? 

"You want another chance?" Faye asked, looking into his eyes. "Miles, you.... you're abusive. You hit me."

"I can change, Faye! That's not the real me!" Miles protested. Faye smirked.

"Yeah, right," Faye said, turning back toward the door. "I'm outta here. I've got enough money to go anywhere I want anyway."

__

"So much for the sympathy card," Miles thought. As Faye began to turn the knob on the door, Miles lunged at her. He roughly spun her around and punched her hard in the stomach, causing her to lurch forward and gasp.

"Damn... you... Miles..." Faye choked out.

"It's a big bad world out there, Faye, my dear," Miles said. 

He picked up Faye and carrying her across the room to another door. It was the bathroom. He opened the door and roughly dropped her down inside, then closed the door. He walked over to the wall and picked up a chair, taking it over to the door and leaning it just under the doorknob, forming a barricade. Faye began to bang on the door from the inside, but it was no use.

---

"LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT OF HERE, DAMMIT!" Faye shrieked, pounding on the door as hard as she could. "MILES! YOU LET ME OUT! ARGH!"

Faye slumped down against the door and let out a harsh sigh.

"Miles... he's just like all the others..." Faye groaned. "Men are stupid."

---

"Haven't seen her, buddy."

"You sure?" Spike asked, leaning out of his Swordfish and interrogating a young, badly-dressed teenage boy with nappy brown hair and bloodshot eyes that indicated that he was on drugs. 

  
"Dude, she's the hottest chick that I've like, ever seen... well, in a picture. But I think I might know someone who does know where she is," the teenager said. 

"Yeah?" Spike asked. "Who?"

"This dude who runs this part of the streets," the teenager said. "I buy all my drugs from one of his men. Anyway, he's this like, bald-looking guy, you know? Looks like the Kingpin. Anyway, the dude's up in this warehouse building, you see?"

__

"This guy's clearly stoned," Spike thought. _"But his tip might be helpful... bald guy in a warehouse, eh?"_

"So son, where IS this warehouse?" Spike asked.

"Hell if I know," the teenager said. "Haven't been there in like, two days, man. But hey, there's a buncha dealers around here. They probably know a lot of stuff."

"Well, thanks then, kid," Spike said, cruising off down the street. _"That dumb kid's no help... but if I can find a dealer, he might know where I can find this mysterious bald man... God, this is why I don't live in the city."_

---

"You mean Putz Bradley, right?" asked the next person Spike had found to interview, a tall, mean-looking black man with a golden necklace around his neck. "You're looking for The Shack."

"The shack?" Spike asked.

  
"The Shack," the man said. "Large warehouse on Bardough Street, just a few blocks that way. You can't miss it. Why you lookin' for him? You wanna sell drugs?"

"No, I'm looking for this woman," Spike said, showing the man a picture of Faye.

  
"Daaaaamn, that's a fine woman," the man said, gazing at the picture. "If I was Putz, I'da pimped her fine ass out to everybody in town by now-"

Spike grabbed the man by his collar and lifted him closer to the Swordfish's window.

"I'll tell you something right now, NOBODY touches Faye!" Spike yelled. "And if this... Putz Bradley guy's done ANYTHING to her, I swear to God, I'll-"

"Man, I just said what I'd do.... not that I'd do anything!" the man shouted. "Look, dawg, I swear I ain't seen nothin'!"

Spike dropped the man and drove off toward The Shack.

---

Miles sat on the bed, staring at the barricaded bathroom door. Faye had stopped trying to escape several minutes ago.

  
"You know, if you promise to be good, I'll let you out," Miles said, smirking. 

"Go to hell," came the muffled reply from behind the door.

  
"Suit yourself," Miles said, standing up. "I've got some jobs to do, so I'm just gonna leave you here for a while. Can you handle being here by yourself?"

No reply.

"Then I'm-"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Miles cautiously stepped toward it.

"Police," came a gruff-sounding voice from outside. "Open up. We're looking for a Miss Faye Valentine, and we've gotten a tip that suggests she might be here."

"I see," Miles said. _"They're looking for Faye? Hmmm... I wonder if there's a bounty on her head... but I'd prefer that she stay here, for now. I wonder..."_

"We're also looking for a Mister Miles Harnett," the policeman said. "Now open up."

__

"Damn, the cops are after me too," Miles thought. He knelt down and took out a large rifle from under the bed. "I'm coming..."

Miles opened up the door. Two cops were standing outside. Without a word, Miles pointed the gun at one of the policemen and shot him right through the neck. The powerful shot sent the cop flying back, and the other cop instinctively pulled out his pistol. Miles was faster, though. He quickly cocked his gun and shot the other cop through the forehead. Faye screamed.

"MY GOD, MILES, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Faye screamed. With a powerful kick, the chair flew away from the door, and the purple-haired woman burst out of the bathroom. She gasped. "Miles, those were two cops you just-"

Within a second, the barrel of Miles' gun was between Faye's lips.

"I wasn't afraid to kill them, and I'm not afraid to do the same to you," Miles said. "Sit down."

Faye meekly sat down on the bed. Miles kicked the two bodies away from the door and closed it, then locked it.

"We won't be taken alive, Faye," Miles said. "If I die, so do you, and I'm not going to jail."

"You're freaking crazy..." Faye stammered, her voice lined with fear. "I can't believe..."

"That I'd kill a couple of dumb cops?" Miles asked. "You oughta know better by now."

"Oh my God, oh my God," Faye said over and over again, flopping down onto the bed and nervously resting her head on the pillow. 

"Oh, come on now, Faye," Miles said, setting down the gun and sliding it back under the bed. "There's no reason to be scared of me, as long as you do everything I say. Now come on, you were so happy a while ago. And you've killed people too. Don't forget that."

Faye sat up.

  
"I've never... killed... a damn cop!" Faye shouted.

"Cop, street thug, what's the difference?" Miles asked. "Now cheer up, Faye. We've still got a lot of work to do."

---

The Swordfish landed just outside The Shack, the large warehouse which, supposedly was the workplace of the infamous Putz Bradley. Spike stepped outside of the Swordfish and walked through the large, metal doors. The building was completely empty, except for Putz, sitting at a large, wooden desk that seemed out of place sitting in the middle of a dingy warehouse, and three of his thugs, large, neatly dressed men who flanked their employer and wore stiff frowns on their faces. Spike slowly walked up to the desk.

"So," Putz said, smiling and showing his clean, white teeth, "what brings you here this time of night? Looking for a way to make some easy cash?"

Spike walked up to the desk and placed the picture of Faye down on Putz's desk.

"Ah, I see," Putz said. "I sent her down to waste Zelias Teraski a couple hours ago."

"Eh?" Spike asked. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"Oh, so you don't know?" Putz asked. "Her and her boyfriend have come down here a few times lately. Last time though, she was by herself. Looked pretty pissed off, too. Maybe her and her boyfriend split up."

__

"Boyfriend?" Spike thought to himself. _"Faye got a boyfriend? Wait a second..."_

"Just... what kind of stuff have this woman and her boyfriend been doing?" Spike asked.

"Ah, ah, ah," Putz said, waving his finger. "It's not good business to reveal the private lives of your customers. You know, that old confidentiality thing. But I could tell you in exchange for something."

"Exchange for what?" Spike asked. "I don't have much money on me."

"No, no, no, you don't understand," Putz said. "I just want you to do a job for me."

Putz held up a picture of his own, of a man with a scraggly mustache and beard.

"You off this dude for me, and we'll talk," Putz said.

"Not gonna work that way," Spike said. "But this could work."

Spike took out his trusty Jericho .357 and pointed it at Putz's head. 

"You tell me where Faye and her... boyfriend are, or I'll give you a third eye," Spike said. Immediately, Putz's three thugs took out pistols of their own.

"Gentlemen, wait," Putz said. "You've got quite a bit of guts, treating me like this. Quick, too. Alright, then. The woman and her boyfriend are staying in a suite at the Suarrez Heights, downtown. Happy?"

"Very," Spike said. "Now, tell your men to put their guns down."

  
"Guns down, boys," Putz said. The three thugs put their guns away. Spike did the same.

"Good," Spike said, slowly backing toward the door. "Have a nice evening."

"You too," Putz said. "Oh, and... one more thing. Watch out for my doorman."

Before Spike had the chance to turn around, a silver chain was yanked against Spike's neck from behind by a tall, well-built man wearing a white tuxedo. As Spike began to choke, Putz's three thugs took out their guns.

__

"Better end this quick," Spike said. He elbowed the large man who was choking him in the stomach, causing him to release his hold on Spike just long enough for Spike to roll under the man's legs. The thugs' shots all impacted the large man, killing him before he hit the ground. Spike took out his Jericho and fired several shots, hitting two of Putz's thugs in the arm and causing them to drop their guns. The third thug ran at Spike. Spike jumped up and kicked the thug hard in the face, knocking him out instantly. Putz's other two injured thugs ran at Spike and attempted to punch him with their good arms, but Spike slipped away from the punches and leapt up again, kicking both men in the back and knocking them to the ground. Spike pointed his gun at Putz, who stood up and clapped.

"Not bad, not bad," Putz said. "You know, a guy like you could prove quite useful."

"I know," Spike said, walking up to the man and extending his hand. "In fact, let's team up right now."

Putz gasped in shock.

  
"Well, well, well, this is....more than I expected..."

"No, I really want to work for you," Spike said. "Put 'er there."

But as Putz leaned in to shake Spike's hand, Spike knocked him out with the butt of his gun.

"Normally, I'd be happy to work for you," Spike said, standing over Putz, who had collapsed onto his wooden desk. "But there's a 15 million wulong bounty on your sorry ass. This is my lucky day."

---

After shoving a tied-up Putz into the trunk of his Swordfish, Spike flew off toward Suarrez Heights. Just then, Spike noticed something. Parked by the side of the road was a very familiar space fighter.

"That's the Redtail!" Spike said, swooping over and parking next to it. "I don't believe it... Faye?"

At that moment, a tall, lanky-looking man sauntered over to the driver's side door of the Redtail. He opened it up and climbed inside. Spike ran over to the man and took out his gun.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" the man shouted.

"That ship belongs to a friend of mine," Spike said, pointing his Jericho at the man's head. "Get the hell out, NOW."

"I don't know what you're talking about, dude. I bought this ship for 500,000 wulongs off a dude!"

"A... dude?" Spike asked.

"Some guy named Miles sold it to me! He said he had to get rid of it quick! That's all I know, I swear!"

Spike lifted the man out of the Redtail and close to his face.

"I don't care who you bought it from, it's not yours," Spike said. "Give me the key."

"Hell no," the man said. "You're not gonna shoot me anyway. You don't have the balls."

Spike dropped the man to the ground.

"You're right," Spike said. "But I can do this."

Spike kicked the man in the head, sprawling him out on the concrete. Then, he stomped on the man's leg.

"Aaaaah!" the man shouted. "Alright! Alright! Take the damn key!"

  
The man tossed a small space fighter key over to Spike.

"I'm calling the cops on you!" the man shouted as he limped off weakly. "You'll see! I'm pressing charges!"

"Whatever," Spike said. He took some towing cables out of the trunk of the Swordfish (having to reach under the still-unconscious Putz to do so), and hooked the Redtail to the back of the Swordfish. Then, he flew off toward Suarrez Heights once more.

__

"I'm really worried now," Spike thought. _"Why would anyone try to sell Faye's ship... don't worry, Faye! I'm coming! Whoever this Miles is, he'd better not have hurt you!"_

---

"You know, there's nothing really stopping me from taking that rifle and shooting you dead," Faye said, sitting on the bed and staring at Miles.

"I'd love to see you try," Miles said. "It'd give me a reason to show you who's boss."

"I bet I could kick your ass even without that damn gun," Faye smirked, taunting Miles. "I don't know why the hell you're keeping me around."

Miles turned around and looked at Faye. 

"You know exactly why," Miles said. "If you haven't figured it out yet, you're dumber than you look."

Faye smiled.

"Oh," Faye said. "I shoulda known. Silly me."

Faye began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Miles asked. Faye continued laughing. Miles leapt onto the bed and grabbed Faye's chin hard with his right hand, causing Faye to stop laughing and wince in pain. "What is so damn funny?"

"It's not..." Faye said, anger starting to creep back into her voice. "Let go of me."

"What's so funny?" Miles growled again. "You think you could stop me? You're a weak, fragile little doll. You'd break if someone dropped you. You think you're tough, but you're the weakest, most pathetic piece of trash I've ever seen."

"Let... go... of me..." Faye growled. She spat on Miles, causing him to curse and release Faye's chin to wipe the spit off of his face. Then, Miles snapped. He punched Faye on her left cheek as hard as he could, causing her to scream and fall down onto the bed. Blood began to slowly trickle from her nose.

"I told you," Miles said. "Anyone could do that. You need me, Faye."

Faye began to sit up.

"Don't get up," Miles said. "Don't you DARE get up!"

Miles grabbed Faye's hair and began to pull it down, causing her to scream again. She grabbed Miles' arm and dug her fingernails into it, breaking his skin.

"So that's all you can do?" Miles asked as blood began to seep down his arm. "Looks like I'll have to declaw you, kitty."

Faye released her grip on Miles' arm and flopped onto her back, kicking Miles hard in the mouth with the heel on her right foot. The impact caused Miles to lose his balance and fall off the bed, hitting his head hard on the floor.

  
"That's IT!" Faye shouted. "You're the one that's not getting up, Miles!"  
  
With an intense fury that seemed to completely overcome her, Faye leapt onto Miles and punched him in the jaw with all the force she could muster. Ignoring her stinging fist, Faye punched Miles again in the eye, not even giving him a chance to launch a counterattack. She continued her assault, punching Miles in the face several times, not even paying attention to where she was punching him, just trying to inflict as much pain as possible. Finally, the rush of adrenaline was over. She slowly, slowly got up and backed away from Miles. She looked at her fists. Nearly all of the knuckles were split and bleeding, and a few of them were even broken.

"Oh, damn..." Faye said quietly, looking at her hands. She looked down at Miles' battered face and smiled. "Damn, damn, damn..."

Faye turned around and walked toward the door.

"I hope you learned your lesson, you dumb bastard," Faye said. "When you wake up, say hi to the plastic surgeon for me."

Faye giggled in spite of herself. She felt free, independent... oh sure, she'd kicked people's asses before. But this... this was the first time she'd ever felt genuinely good doing it. 

"Now to find my Redtail..." Faye said. "And some bandages."

The sound of a rifle cocking behind Faye sent chills down her spine.

"That was fun," Miles said, his voice slightly different from missing three teeth and having an enlarged lip. "Now get on the damn bed."

---

Yay! Faye-Faye kicked that guy's butt. But booooo, Faye-Faye's in trouble! Yay! Spike's coming to her rescue! But booooo, he might not make it in time. The exciting conclusion of Come Back... coming soon! Please review!


	13. Come Back

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the final chapter... again by me, Ry Senkari. ^_^ I just wanna thank NessacusGirl, for writing the first 10 chapters and saving me a lot of trouble (you're a great writer, and ya really need to start writing again! ^_^) and to all of the loyal readers who reviewed and showed their support! Now... the exciting conclusion!

---

(Chapter 13: Come Back)

The Bebop cruised closer and closer to Mars, hovering over the planet's surface and scanning the planet for any signs of its two wayward souls, Spike and Faye.

"Found 'em yet?" Jet asked, steering the ship while Ed and Gabby gazed out at the cityscape.

"Edward sees no sign of Faye-Faye or Spike-person," Edward said, peering back and forth, her right hand raised up to her forehead. 

"I haven't found anything either," Gabby stated sadly. "We'll keep looking, though."

__

"C'mon, Spike," Jet thought. _"Bring Faye home so we can get the heck outta here."_

---

"I said, where is Faye Valentine staying?" Spike shouted at the receptionist who was sitting behind her desk in the lobby of the hotel.

"I told you, the residents of that room have requested not to have their whereabouts disclosed," the receptionist, a pale-looking, neatly dressed old woman with grey hair said. "If you don't leave, I'll have to call security."

  
"Dammit, this is an emergency!" Spike shouted, pounding his fist on the receptionist's desk, causing her to gasp. "Faye could be in serious trouble if I don't get to her right away!"

"And you're going to be in serious trouble if you don't calm down, sir," the receptionist said, picking up the receiver of the service phone on her desk. "I don't mean to be rude, but-"

Spike took out his gun and pressed it to the woman's temple.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, but I have to see Faye Valentine right now," Spike said. "And if you don't tell me where she's staying, something very, very bad could happen, get my drift?"

The elderly woman began to tremble. She put down the phone and typed in a few things on her computer.

"Room 748," the woman said nervously. "But there's only one keycard, and you won't be able to get in without it...."

"I don't need a keycard," Spike said, putting away his gun and walking toward the elevator. "Sorry to trouble you."

Spike entered the elevator. As the door closed, the woman picked up the phone's receiver again.

"Security, we have a situation," the woman said calmly.

---

"So what ARE you going to do to me?" Faye asked, her voice rather cocky, but containing a hint of fear, lying on the bed and staring up at Miles, who was standing at the foot of the bed. "Kill me? I'll just run away from you the first chance I get, you know. And it's obvious you really don't want to kill me, because if you did you'd have done it already."

"Why don't you just shut your damn mouth," Miles said, the rifle still pointed at Faye's head. "You couldn't get away from me if you tried. What with your hands busted up like they are."

"It was worth it," Faye said, chuckling slightly. "It's not like my legs are busted any."

"Well, we'll have to change that," Miles said, slamming the butt of the rifle into Faye's knee as hard as he could. The blow was accompanied by a sickening crack and a loud, piercing scream. 

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Faye screamed, her hands immediately going to her right knee, which had been shattered almost instantly by Miles' vicious attack. He lunged forward and smacked her hard across the face.

  
"Shut up!" Miles shouted. Tears began welling up in Faye's eyes as she clutched her broken knee, biting her lower lip as the pain surged through her leg.

"Why.... did you.... do that?" Faye groaned painfully, looking up at Miles and trembling.

"So you couldn't run away," Miles said, frowning. "You shouldn't have even threatened to do it. You made me do that, Faye."

Tears streamed down Faye's cheeks. Suddenly, there was a quiet knock at the door. Miles turned around, pointing his gun at the door and rudely addressing the person outside.

"Who the hell is it?" Miles shouted. "Go away. We're busy here."

"It's the delivery man," Spike said, his voice muffled by the door. "I've got a package for Faye Valentine."

  
Faye gasped.

  
_"Is that... is that Spike?" _Faye thought, grimacing in pain. _"Spike, what are you doing here? How did you find me? Why did you even come out here?"_

"We didn't order any packages," Miles said, starting toward the door. "Get out of here right now."

An even louder knock on the door caused Miles to growl in frustration. He walked over to the door and put his hand on the knob, his other hand holding the rifle.

"I said GO AWAY," Miles said through gritted teeth.

"This package _really _needs to be delivered," Spike said casually. "My boss said that I'll get fired if I don't deliver it."

"Tell your boss that I said go to hell," Miles said angrily.

"Well, the hotel manager gave me this second keycard," Spike lied. "If you won't open the door, I'll just have to come in there and give this package to Ms. Faye Valentine."

"Dammit!" Miles cursed, throwing open the door and pointing his rifle at Spike. "YOU'RE GONNA DIE!"

Faster than Miles could see, Spike kicked the rifle out of his hands, then lunged forward and punched him hard in the face, causing him to stumble back and trip over the rifle, falling flat onto his back. Faye turned around and sat on the bed, holding her injured knee and looking at Spike.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Faye said, smiling. She immediately frowned. "But why are you here, anyway?"

"I came to ask you something," Spike said. "You see-"

  
Miles crawled up off the ground and punched Spike in the stomach.

"Dammit, how DARE you barge in here!" Miles shouted, clearly enraged. He lunged at Spike, but Spike, only momentarily stunned by Miles' punch, leaped backward, causing Miles to miss Spike entirely and nearly fall to the ground again. Spike jumped up and kicked Miles in the chest, causing him to fly back onto the bed.

"Faye, are you alright?" Spike asked, turning to Faye and noticing that her face was covered in bruises, her lip was bleeding, her knuckles were badly banged up, and she was holding her right knee.

"Do I look alright to you?" Faye snapped. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Miles groaned and rolled off the bed, weakly climbing to his feet again.

"Who are you, a bounty hunter or something?" Miles asked, groaning from the pain caused by Spike's punches and kicks.

"Well, what do you know, you got it right the first time," Spike said, smiling. "But I'm not here for you, although I'm having lots of fun kicking your ass. I'm here for Faye."

  
Faye gasped. Spike turned to her and took her hands in his. She began to pull away, but the look on Spike's face told her that he wasn't here to capture her. It was one of gentleness and sympathy, and a little bit of sadness.

"Faye... I've really missed you since you left the Bebop... we all have," Spike said with sincerity, looking into her eyes. "I still don't understand why you left, but now I don't care... I just..."

"Spike, you know why I...." Faye started, before she had to blink a tear from her eye. _"No, he didn't... I never... never told anyone, not even Gabby... or Spike... None of them... why did I leave? I thought I knew, but now..."_

On the floor, Miles had been slowly crawling, his hand reaching for his rifle, still sitting by the bed.

"Faye, I just want you to... come back, Faye," Spike said quietly. 

"Hmm?" Faye replied. "You..."

"Come back," Spike said, the look on his face begging Faye to return to the Bebop. "Please..."

"Spike, I..."

Miles stood up. He pointed his rifle at Spike's side. Faye gasped.

"Spike, look out!" Faye shouted desperately. 

But before Spike could turn around, Miles fired the rifle, shooting Spike in the side and blasting him clear off the edge of the bed. He hit the wall and slid to the floor, blood pooling beneath him.

"SPIKE!!!" Faye screamed, ignoring her own pain and crawling to the edge of the bed to look at the fallen Spike. Miles smiled a sinister grin.

"That's the end of him," Miles said, turning back to Faye and grinning at her, showing his teeth. Faye let out an angry yell and started to lunge at him, but the pain in her knee was far too severe. She collapsed to the bed in a fetal position, tears streaming down her face.

"Spike... all he wanted was for me to come back..." Faye sobbed. She looked up at Miles angrily. "You bastard! You killed him!"

"Shut up," Miles said. He pointed the rifle at Faye. "Take off the dress."

"What?" Faye gasped, half-sobbing and half-yelling.

"You heard me," Miles said. "Take it off."

__

"Oh no," Faye thought. _"He already killed Spike... I won't let him do this to me! I'm stronger than that... that bastard, he killed Spike... I mean, I didn't... didn't.... Spike was my friend! He was more than that, he was my comrade! We went after so many bountyheads together, we've bailed each other out..."_

"Take off the dress, or I'll do it for you," Miles said impatiently.

"It's pretty damn hard to take off anything with a broken knee, you know," Faye growled, slowly beginning to remove the dress. "Hold on a minute."

---

"Swooooooooookie!" Edward shouted, pointing down toward the parking lot outside the large hotel where Faye and Miles were staying. "It's the Swooooooordfishie! And the Redtail too!"

"Really?" Gabby said, looking down at where Edward was pointing. "Jet, look!"

"I see!" Jet said, smiling. "Well I'll be..."

Jet began to lower the Bebop down toward the parking lot.

---

Miles grinned as Faye slowly took off the fancy black dress, pulling it down over her body under she was left sitting on the bed in her lacy white undergarments.

"There, asshole," Faye spat, still glaring at Miles. "You happy?"

"Very," Miles said. "I guess I've never really told you how beautiful you look until now."

"Well, now's a WONDERFUL time," Faye said sarcastically, still retaining the angry glare on her face. Miles' eyes glanced down to her feet, still in the fancy high-heeled shoes she had bought a couple of days ago. 

"Don't those need to come off?" Miles asked. 

"I'm getting to it," Faye said. _"Now's my chance..."_

Faye began to remove the heels. As she was removing the heel from her injured right leg, she made her move, using all of her strength and kicking Miles hard in the chin. He yelped out in pain and dropped the rifle, which Faye quickly grabbed and pointed and Miles' neck. Miles gasped.

"It's been fun, Miles," Faye said, her teeth clenched. 

"Faye, don't-"

Miles was cut off by a loud, booming shot, tossing Faye back onto the bed. The rifle fired its round right through Miles' neck, killing him instantly. He fell to the ground, his lifeless body hitting the floor next to Spike. Faye dropped the rifle onto the floor and began breathing heavily, just as several security guards rushed into the room.

"What's going on here?" one of the security guards shouted, seeing Faye lying on the bed. The other security guards ran over to the downed Miles and Spike.

"Spike... Spike...." Faye gasped, looking up at the ceiling. "You've gotta help Spike..."

"One of them still has a pulse!" said another security guards, turning to the others.

"Who is it?" Faye gasped, trying to sit up.

Paramedics rushed into the room, followed by Edward, Jet, and Gabby.

"Why are the doctor-people here?" Edward asked, watching the paramedics run over to Miles and Spike, carrying stretchers. Upon seeing Faye, she gasped. "Faye-Faye!"

"Faye, what the hell happened here?" Jet yelled, looking around at the security guards and paramedics who had gathered in the room. 

"Jet, she's been through a lot!" Gabby scolded. "Let her rest..."

The paramedics lifted Spike onto a stretcher and carried him out of the room. Jet, Edward, and Gabby all looked on as the paramedics put Faye onto the other stretcher.

"You guys need to help Spike," Faye said weakly as the paramedics started to carry her out of the room. "And throw that dress away, I don't want it."

----

"Finally awake, eh, lunkhead?" 

Spike's eyes slowly opened to see Faye, sitting next to him in a chair. He immediately noticed that he was lying on a couch, his midsection heavily bandaged. Faye was once again wearing her familiar yellow vest, yellow shorts, and red jacket. She smiled at him.

  
"Where.... am I?" Spike asked, looking around.

"The Bebop," Faye said. "The doctors spent seven hours getting that rifle slug out of you. It punctured your lung, you know. They said you wouldn't make it. You don't have amnesia, do you?"

Spike smiled.

"You... came back," Spike said, relieved. 

"Where was I supposed to go?" Faye said, frowning. "They found out about all those people I killed, and now there's a bounty on my head. It's not a very big one, though, but Jet said I'd better lay low for a while."

"You're not gonna leave, are you?" Spike asked, sitting up and looking into Faye's eyes.

"Well, maybe once the heat dies down," Faye said. "There's nothing for me here..."

  
She sighed, looking down.

  
"There's nothing... for me anywhere," Faye said sadly, looking down at the floor. "Miles just used me... men are all like that. Well, most of them, anyway..."

"Faye, I've got a confession to make..." Spike said, his face moving closer to hers. "When you left... well... you don't really know what you have until you lose it... I took you for granted, and..."

Faye's eyes widened.

  
"Spike..." Faye said softly.

"Faye, I... I love you," Spike said, smiling and taking her hands in his. "I know I do... it's not like I loved Julia, either, it's different... a different kind of love, it's-"

"Spike, I don't know what to say," Faye said, turning her head away from him. "Why didn't you tell me, Spike! Why didn't you tell me before I left?"

Tears began to pool in Faye's eyes. Spike gently reached toward her face, his hand softly touching her cheek. He began to turn her face back around toward his. One of Faye's tears slid down his hand.

"I'm so sorry, Faye..." Spike said. "I didn't... I didn't know... I guess I was still trying to get over Julia, and it was clouding the way I felt about you... it wasn't able to come out until you left..."

"It's gonna go away now that I'm here, Spike," Faye said. "You don't really love me. You're using me as a substitute for Julia, just like Miles used me as a pawn!"

"Faye, you're completely different from Julia," Spike said. "You're strong and gentle at the same time, you're always so laid-back about everything, you.... you're beautiful, Faye. And I can't explain how..."

Faye began to sob, turning back toward Spike. More tears came down her face. 

"What happened, Faye?" Spike asked. "What did that bastard... what did he do?"

"Spike, you don't want to hear...."

"You can tell me anything, Faye," Spike said sympathetically. "I promise I'll listen..."

  
"Spike," Faye said, smiling. "You really..."

"It's done! It's done!" Edward shouted happily, running into the room. "Looky looky see what Gabby and Jet-person made!"

Spike got up from the couch, standing up and stretching out his arms. 

"You can stand?" Faye said in shock, standing up next to him. "But you got shot!"

"I'm tougher than that, Faye!" Spike said, smiling to her. "C'mon, let's go see what Gabby and Jet have been up to."

  
Faye smiled back.

"I'm glad you're okay, Spike..." Faye said, smiling slightly. The two followed Edward into the kitchen, where Gabby and Jet were standing next to the table, on which sat a large cake with pink frosting and blue letters that read "Get Well Soon, Spike".

"We made you a cake!" Gabby said happily. "It says 'get well soon', but it looks like you're feeling a lot better already!"  


"I'll probably feel even better when I get some of this cake into me," Spike said. 

"It's chocolate," Jet said. "Faye's 'Welcome Back' cake was strawberry, so I hope you're not mad about missing out or anything."

"That's okay," Spike said, reaching down and cutting himself a large piece of cake. "You want any, Faye?"  


"Well, I should probably watch my figure," Faye said, smiling. "Oh, what the hell." 

Faye reached over and picked up Spike's piece of cake with a knife, placing it onto her own plate.

"Hey...." Spike said, turning to Faye. "That was mi-"

Faye shoveled a large piece of cake into Spike's mouth.

"There, yours," Faye said slyly. Edward, Jet, and Gabby began laughing.

---

Later that day, in the living room of the Bebop, Faye and Spike were standing next to the couch, while Jet, Gabby, and Edward were cleaning up in the kitchen.

  
"That was a pretty good cake," Spike said, rubbing his stomach. "I think I ate too much of it, though."

"Now don't you wish you'd have let me have your piece?" Faye asked. She started to walk toward the kitchen. "I'd better go help Jet and Gabby clean up... Ed's been really wild lately."

"Faye...." Spike said, reaching out to her as she left. "Are you..."

Faye smiled.

  
"I've decided to stay, Spike," Faye said, turning back toward him. "My friends are here... Edward, Gabby, Jet.... and you, Spike."

Faye walked over to Spike.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you before," Faye said apologetically. "When you said you loved me... I over-reacted. I was still a little stressed out about what happened with Miles and me..."

"I understand," Spike said. "It's not your fault, Faye."

"Thank you, Spike," Faye said. "You risked your life for me, and I still haven't even repaid you for that...."

"Faye, I-"

  
"Spike, I've got something to tell you," Faye said. "I never thought you'd come after me after I left... I was so stupid-"

"Faye, you're not stupid," Spike said softly.

  
"Right then, I was," Faye said. "It was stupid to leave my friends, and it was stupid to...."

Faye paused.

"It was stupid... what I'm trying to say...."

Faye embraced Spike.

"I love you too, Spike," Faye said. "Thank you for always being there."

"Thank you, Faye," Spike said, leaning in to kiss Faye. "Thank you for coming back."

"Spike-person, Faye-Faye, Gabby and Jet won't help Edward!" Edward said, walking into the room. "They're too busy kiss...."

Faye and Spike were locked in a sweet, tender kiss.

"....ing," Edward said, watching Spike and Faye. "Jet! Gabby! Come quick!"

Spike and Faye stopped the kiss and turned toward Edward.

"Should we...." Faye said, looking at Edward.

"Nah," Spike said. "Can't let them think they're only couple around here."

  
Faye smiled.

---

That's it! ^_^ Yaaaaaaay! Spike and Faye are in love... and that's the end of Come Back! Again, I'd like to send a shoutout to all the reviewers, as well as NessacusGirl, a wonderful writer in her own write! Er, I mean right. ^_^ Hope you enjoyed the story!


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